Every single team in Major League Baseaball will be trying to convince 22-year-old Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki to consider them this offseason. That includes the Philadelphia Phillies, who may have a disadvantage compared to most other teams in the Sasaki sweepstakes.
Even though the Phillies will likely pursue Sasaki, is is unlikely that they would be one of the favorites to sign him per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com
“MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand cited a source who said the teams most likely to have a shot at Sasaki are West Coast clubs and those that have signed Japanese players in the past,” Zolecki wrote. “The Phillies have never signed a player straight from NPB.”
Despite the Phillies' lack of historical success in signing Japanese players, Zolecki also noted how the Phillies are trying to improve that based on comments from then-general manager Sam Fuld last March.
“There’s just so much talent over there,” Fuld said. “As an organization, we want to put our best foot forward and put ourselves in a spot to land some of that premium talent that exists there.”
However, the Phillies' recent investment towards Japan may not be enough. If what Feinsand says is true and that Sasaki is focused on teams on the West Coast and teams with a history of signing Japanese players, then it looks like Sasaki will not be considering the Phillies.
The best fits for Roki Sasaki
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Because of his age and the limitations on his contract, not only would every team in baseball want to sign Sasaki, but every team could hypothetically afford to sign Sasaki.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly the current favorite to land Sasaki given their popularity in Japan after Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto led them to a World Series victory. Having a trio of Sasaki, Ohtani and Yamamoto would turn the Dodgers into a legitimate global powerhouse.
The San Diego Padres would also make sense for Sasaki. Another West Coast team, the Padres also have Yu Darvish, one of the most well-respected Japanese players in the Major Leagues. Sasaki would also be able to become one of the faces of the Padres instead of playing a more secondary role to Ohtani on the Dodgers.
Outside of those two teams from Southern California, the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox could all make sense as potential destinations for Sasaki as well.