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

QUEENS SHAKE-UP: Mets Urged to Lock In Edwin Díaz With a Bold Re-Sign Push, While Buzz Builds Around Three Electrifying Targets Who Could Flip the Entire Roster Script..ll

This offseason, the New York Mets face several tall tasks, including a complete overhaul of the pitching staff that failed them down the stretch in 2025. This w

LOCKER ROOM RUMBLE: Adam Ottavino Drops Stinging Truth Bomb on the Mets, Calling Out Cracks That Can’t Be Ignored, A Message Carlos Mendoza Can’t Afford to Brush Off..ll

When a former player unloads on his old manager, the easiest reaction is to roll your eyes. It’s a tale as old as baseball: a veteran pushed out of the circle o

OCTOBER SHOWDOWN: Mets Poised for Jaw-Dropping Move as $75M All-Star Hits the Trade Bubble, Whispers Point to a Surging AL East Power Ready to Strike..ll

The New York Mets signed Kodai Senga before the 2023 season. His five-year, $75 million deal looked like a bargain when he was named an All-Star as…

MLB FREE AGENCY ALERT: Why the Phillies Could Poach Pete Alonso From the Mets, With Potential Moves That Could Shake the League and Reshape the NL East Power Dynamics…ll

Pete Alonso is a free agent target for the Phillies this winter.

MLB TRADE ALERT: Yankees Receive Crucial Update on $325 Million Superstar Shortstop’s Contract, Sparking Speculation About Potential Moves and the Team’s Offseason Strategy…ll

The New York Yankees have received a significant contract upgrade on a superstar infielder that is generating trade speculation.

MLB OFFSEASON ALERT: Yankees Make $4.5 Million Early Decision With Fan-Favorite, Sending Shockwaves Through the Locker Room and Raising Questions About Team Direction…ll

The Yankees are locking up a fan favorite early into the offseason.