According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees held a meeting with star free agent Roki Sasaki, who was posted earlier this winter by the Chiba Lotte Marines. A talented right-hander with a dominant fastball, the 23-year-old can reach up to 103 MPH and has some of the best pure stuff in the entire world. The Yankees are among a vast list of suitors who have reportedly prepared presentations for the right-hander, although in-person meetings were only allowed on an invite-only basis.
Brian Cashman went to Japan to scout the right-hander earlier this season, and the Yankees are hoping their history with Japanese-born players can aid them in their pursuit of Sasaki.
Yankees Held In-Person Meeting With Roki Sasaki on Thursday
While the Yankees made a $218 million investment in Max Fried earlier this winter, they weren’t going to pass up an opportunity to add one of the best pitchers in the world. Roki Sasaki may not have the polish that Yoshinobu Yamamoto did when he hit the market last winter, but the raw stuff and talent can match up with or exceed any pitcher on the planet.
Sasaki posted a 2.35 ERA across 18 starts with the Chiba Lotte Marines last season, striking out 129 batters across 111 innings pitched, holding a career 2.10 ERA in the NPB. The Yankees held a meeting with him on Thursday, the same day as the Mets held their in-person meeting in California with the star right-hander. No one truly knows what Sasaki wants, but the industry belief is that he will sign with the LA Dodgers.
Player development, history with Japanese players, and team success are all variables at play, and given Sasaki’s admiration of Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees have a lot of what Joel Wolfe has stated his client covets.
Hideki Matsui is another prominent Japanese-born player who broke into the Major Leagues with the Yankees, and they’re hoping for Roki Sasaki to join the list of Japanese stars to play for the organization. Some variables that could work against the Yankees is the media pressure that comes with New York, something that could deter Sasaki as his agent referenced the Japanese media’s treatment at the Winter Meetings.
Some have speculated if he prefers a smaller market, which is where San Diego could sneak in as a direct competitor to their rivals in Los Angeles. The Yankees don’t know where they stand in the sweepstakes, but being invited to the next round certainly helps, and the prize to be had is more than just Roki Sasaki’s talent. He would make league-minimum salary in 2025, having six years of service time before he can hit free agency.
He would also be a rookie, and if he wins Rookie of the Year, the team who rosters him will get a first-round pick as a result.