The way San Diego Padres star righty Yu Darvish sees things, Japanese standout free agent Roki Sasaki would be making a great decision by opting to sign with the franchise this offseason.
Yu Darvish: Roki Sasaki to Padres would be “a good thing”
According to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin, Darvish had this to say about Sasaki’s highly-anticipated upcoming decision:
“I think it’s a good thing if he were to come to San Diego,” Darvish said through interpreter Shingo Horie, the pitcher’s first public comments since Sasaki was posted. “Just for myself personally, if it does happen, yeah, it’s a great thing for me as well. But we’ll see how things shake out.”
Padres’ attractive Sasaki pitch must outdo other suitors
The 23-year-old sensation has several teams knocking on his door to sign him this fall. Outside of the Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers are also looked at as favorites in the chase, while the New York Yankees are eagerly waiting to get a meeting with him.
Sasaki is a special young talent whose fastball has exceeded 100 mph and whose ERA sits at 2.02 over the course of his four-year international career. He’s looking to bring his skills to a competitive team that has a strong developmental structure and a player-friendly environment. San Diego can provide him with a desirable locale and contending ball club to strive for World Series crowns with.
Darvish understands that Sasaki’s decision will be on him
As for Darvish’s role in helping the Padres recruit Sasaki, the 38-year-old said:
“I don’t think there’s much that I can do,” Darvish stated. “He knows what he wants, he’ll make his decision, and I’m sure there’s going to be a couple of meetings coming up for him. And that will give him an opportunity to see what organizations are like. I’m sure he’s going to make his decision, and we’ll all be respectful of that.”
The five-time MLB All-Star has been widely reported to be a magnetic force that could attract Sasaki to the Padres. Their compatriotic ties coupled with the mentor and mentee relationship that the two have help San Diego’s case.
Nonetheless, Darvish sees things pragmatically. Ultimately, the incoming MLB rookie will use his discretion to select the best landing spot for himself this offseason. That being said, he has the words of his fellow countryman to weigh in the balance as he deliberates.
