REPORT: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto Were Not Part of Dodgers Meeting With Roki Sasaki. Maybe…

Joel Wolfe, Roki Sasaki’s agent, invited all 30 MLB teams to submit presentations for the pitcher through a letter sent to each organization after his client was posted on Dec. 10.
Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto Were Not Part of Dodgers Meeting With  Roki Sasaki

Twenty teams took up the offer, and several met with Wolfe and Sasaki in Los Angeles.

Per the pitcher’s request, no current players were present at the meetings, meaning any recruiting pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers Shohei Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, for example, was not done face-to-face. The same can be said about San Diego Padres ace Yu Darvish.

“One of the criteria for the meetings is that Roki asked that no players were to attend,” Wolfe said this week. “There were a couple of teams that had a video from one or two players, but for the most part, it was the general manager, possibly an assistant GM, the manager, the pitching coach, and people from the biomechanics, performance, and training staff.”

Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were in the meeting too" - Fans react  to international free agent Roki Sasaki's confab with Dodgers

More news: Roki Sasaki Scouting Report: Full Breakdown of Dodgers Free Agent Target

Sasaki also requested not to travel to any team’s stadium or city.

During a media conference call, Wolfe shared limited details, stating only that Sasaki had met with “a select few teams” in recent weeks. Sasaki is expected to make his decision sometime between Jan. 15, when the international signing period opens, and Jan. 23, when his posting window closes.

“This is a very unique process and a very unique player,” Wolfe said.

According to Wolfe, Sasaki is unlikely to make his choice immediately after the signing period opens.

“He is definitely driving the ship and calling the shots,” Wolfe said.

At 23, Sasaki is considered an international amateur under MLB rules, which limits teams to offering him a minor league contract using their international bonus pool money, typically between $5 million and $7 million.

The Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league officially posted Sasaki on Dec. 10. Had Sasaki waited two more years to move to MLB, he could have sparked a bidding war similar to the one that resulted in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s record 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers last winter.

Reports have suggested that the Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants were among the teams granted initial meetings with Sasaki, although his representatives have not confirmed this.

Related Posts

MET-EXPLOSION: “He and I decided…” Steve Cohen and David Stearns are reportedly gearing up to make Pete Alonso an offer so massive it could redefine his entire career, sending shockwaves through the Mets locker room and the league. Whispers hint at a deal no one saw coming, and the stakes have never been higher..ll

In a stunning announcement that has rocked the baseball world, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and general manager David Stearns have unveiled a groundbreaking contract extension for star first baseman Pete Alonso. The deal, described by Cohen as a decision that “will cost Pete Alonso,” is poised to keep the slugger with the Mets for the foreseeable future, potentially reshaping the franchise’s fortunes. This payoff to retain Pete Alonso comes at a time when the New York Mets are striving to build a championship-caliber roster, and fans are already buzzing about the implications.

MET-ALERT: The Mets could be facing a jaw-dropping price to land Tarik Skubal, sending shockwaves through trade chatter as fans and analysts scramble to calculate the potential haul. Every hint from insiders suggests the stakes are higher than anyone expected, and the looming deal could redefine the team’s offseason strategy..ll

Tarik Skubal is positioned this week to enter rarefied air among pitchers to have won consecutive American League Cy Young Awards.

BRAVES SHOCKWAVE: The Braves’ hire of Jeremy Hefner might just be a masterstroke in the Edwin Díaz sweepstakes, turning a routine staffing move into a secret recruitment weapon. Hefner, Díaz’s former coach in New York, knows exactly how to unlock the closer’s historic dominance, giving Atlanta an edge no other team can match. Suddenly, the chase for baseball’s most electric closer has a new, jaw-dropping frontrunner..ll

With multiple holes in the bullpen, Atlanta’s most exciting hire—the man who guided Díaz’s 1.63 ERA comeback—could be the “pivotal tiebreaker” in luring the star closer from a division rival. ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves fans are hopeful the core players returning for 2026 will benefit from the familiarity with new manager Walt Weiss. However, the …

MET-ALERT: Pete Alonso’s heart-stopping confession sets the locker room ablaze as he pledges to give his all if he stays with the Mets, leaving even the toughest teammates choked up and fans in an emotional frenzy. Whispers are already swirling about what this could mean for the team’s future, and the intensity of his loyalty has everyone holding their breath..ll

In the high-stakes world of professional baseball, where trades, contracts, and rivalries dominate headlines, moments of raw emotion can cut through the noise like a home run in the bottom of the ninth. One such moment unfolded recently in the locker room of the New York Mets, where slugger Pete Alonso delivered a heart-stopping confession that left his teammates reeling. “I will fight my best if I have the chance to stay at the New York Mets,” Alonso reportedly told his teammates, igniting an emotional avalanche that saw even the toughest players unable to hold back tears. This display of raw passion and loyalty stunned everyone, highlighting the deep bonds that can form in the heat of competition.

PINSTRIPE FRENZY: Yankees news is blowing up with talks of a new shortstop, a Steven Kwan trade whisper, and more moves that could shake the league to its core. Fans and insiders are buzzing non-stop, and every cryptic hint drops the possibility of a seismic roster shift..ll

The Yankees have plenty they can do to improve the team this offseason, but going after some big names should be in consideration. Whether it be trying to pry

PINSTRIPE ALERT: Yankees are eyeing a Korean infielder whose sneaky power and lightning speed have scouts buzzing, sparking wild speculation that he could be the secret weapon to shake up the roster. Cryptic hints from insiders suggest a move could drop soon, and the league is already on edge..ll

According to recent reports, the Yankees are showing interest in a versatile Korean infielder who projects as a backup type in the majors