Chicago Cubs Making Strong Play for Japanese Ace Roki Sasaki
The Chicago Cubs are stepping up their efforts to land one of the hottest free agents in baseball: Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. In a key move, the team met with Sasaki on Friday in Los Angeles, according to reports from Marquee Sports Network contributor Bruce Levine and a second unnamed source.
Represented by Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, Sasaki is conducting meetings with various teams in Los Angeles, where his agency is based. Wolfe also represents Seiya Suzuki, the Cubs’ Japanese outfielder, further hinting at a potential connection between the two players.
While Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer refrains from commenting on free agents, he has openly acknowledged the team’s appeal to Japanese players.
“I know we’re very appealing to Japanese players,” Hoyer said at this month’s Winter Meetings in Dallas. “Obviously, Shota and Seiya have had really good experiences. I think we’re an appealing destination for any Japanese player.”
Previously, the Cubs had submitted an initial presentation to Sasaki’s team when he was posted earlier this month. Sasaki has 45 days to sign with a Major League team, though he can’t officially sign until the international signing period opens on January 15th.
Unlike pitching aces Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga, who signed with the Dodgers and Cubs respectively through posting agreements, Sasaki will be signed as an international free agent. This means his contract will fall under a team’s international bonus pool money, leading to a less exorbitant contract compared to the other two.
The Cubs are making a strong push to secure a talented young ace. Will Sasaki be the next Japanese star to join the Windy City?