The Los Angeles Dodgers are the 2024 World Series champions as they defeated the New York Yankees in five games to win their eighth title in franchise history.
Now that the offseason is over, the focus will turn to the free agent class this offseason.
One free agent that stands out is Rocky Sasaki, a starting pitcher coming over from Japan to join the MLB.
According to MLB analyst Jon Heyman, the Dodgers are the favorite to land Sasaki, but the San Diego Padres could make a shot.
By: @JonHeyman:The Dodgers are the favorites to land Rocky Sasaki, but the Padres “could have a shot.”#MLBNHotStove |: @AlLeiter22 pic.twitter.com/S84HXp1D1J
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 12, 2024
Sasaki is a 23-year-old Japanese starter who will sign with an MLB team and has a special arm.
Heyman lists the Dodgers as the favorite to land Sasaki, and he could join both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Dodgers’ rotation.
Yamamoto and Ohtani were both born in Japan, so their presence could influence where Sasaki decides to play.
Heyman also says the Padres could have an opportunity to sign Sasaki, where he would join Yu Darvish, another Japanese-born starting pitcher.
Sasaki appeared in 18 games for his overseas team in 2024 and posted a record of 10 wins and five losses with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111.0 innings.
The Dodgers already have some big names in their starting rotation, but they are still the favorite to land Sasaki.
It will be interesting to see if Heyman is right and Sasaki signs with either the Dodgers or the Padres, or if another team comes into play.
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