This offseason, the Boston Red Sox seek mainly experienced arms to bolster their starting rotation for years to come.
But one young fireballer may be too good for the organization to pass up. Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old pitching phenomenon from Japan, will be posted as an international amateur free agent some time before Jan. 2025.
The Red Sox have repeatedly been named as a top signing destination for the young hurler by various reporters and insiders. MLB.com recently named them the best fit in the American League East. He would fit in well with Boston’s prospect pool of mostly position players, but don’t get it twisted — his stuff is absolutely big league-ready.
Sasaki is only eligible for a minor league deal paid for with international bonus pool money due to his young age. International free agents under 25 years old are ineligible for a standard free agent deal, per MLB regulations. These rules make Sasaki available to teams without big market spending money at their disposal, and the Red Sox will face competition from around the league for his services. The many links between Boston and the young ace bode well for its chances, though.
MLB.com has listed Red Sox as the American League East’s best fit for Roki Sasaki
Rob Manfred said that he expects Roki Sasaki to sign with a club as part of the 2025 international signing class, meaning he can't sign before January 15th. pic.twitter.com/wqOK3Ai5ix
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 20, 2024
Sasaki has pitched to a career 2.10 ERA in 394.2 innings of work over four seasons in NPB. He owns a career 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings and has only let up three homers in his last two campaigns with the Chiba Lotte Marines. In 2024, Sasaki posted a career-high 2.35 ERA in 111 innings with 129 punchouts.
Sasaki carries a blistering fastball with triple-digit velocity and a deadly forkball, which has become a staple among Japanese aces. If the Red Sox can sign him, he’d be a great addition to the rotation without breaking the bank. If Sasaki turns out to be anything close to the “second coming of Shohei Ohtani,” as many experts expect, he’ll be worth the risk for Boston, especially when it’s severely mitigated because he can only sign with international bonus funds.
