Roki Sasaki’s tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers is officially underway, as the Japanese phenom donned the signature blue and white during his signing press conference on Wednesday.
Sasaki, 23, has been linked to the Dodgers since the beginning of free agency. Several big-spending teams pursued him, but Los Angeles consistently remained at the top of many people’s lists, even if initial reports suggested otherwise. This signing, which felt more like a delayed announcement than breaking news, encapsulates what has been a frustrating offseason for some.
The Dodgers, through deferred money and seemingly flawless recruiting strategies, have managed to have an offseason that many teams could only dream of, adding several impactful players to an already stacked roster with minimal subtractions. They signed starting pitcher Blake Snell, outfielder Michael Conforto, San Diego Padres closer Tanner Scott, and Korean infielder Hye-Seong Kim, in addition to Sasaki, to strengthen their lineup as defending World Series champions.
The connections between Sasaki and the Dodgers felt so strong that speculation arose about him possibly having signed a contract under the table before he was eligible for posting in January. Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolf, firmly denied these claims during Sasaki’s introductory press conference.
“I’ve tried to be an open book and as transparent as possible with all the teams in the league,” Wolfe said. “I answer every phone call, I answer every question. This goes back to before the process even started. Every team I think would tell you that I told each one of them where they stood throughout the entire process, why they got a meeting, why they didn’t get a meeting, why other teams got a meeting. I tried to do my best to do that. He was only going to be able to pick one.”
Why did Sasaki choose the Dodgers? The guaranteed opportunity to compete in a World Series is obviously appealing, but personal preferences come into play as well.
Some speculated that the presence of other Japanese players might have influenced his decision, a notion we’ve seen before. However, Sasaki clarified his position.
“It wasn’t a priority for me, if there was or was not a Japanese player on a team, as I was looking at all the teams,” Sasaki said. “Being able to play with Ohtani and Yamamoto, both exceptional players, (I am) really looking forward to playing with them. And not just them, but the rest of the team which is incredibly talented as well.”
In simple terms, the Dodgers’ impressive offseason reflects their substantial resources and willingness to spend money in unconventional ways. However, this aspect isn’t as immediately relevant for Sasaki.
As an international free agent under the age of 25, he can only receive offers based on a team’s International Bonus Pool. For the Dodgers, that figure was just over $5 million, but they also included a $6.5 million signing bonus.
This presents a double-edged sword for those frustrated with the Dodgers’ financial practices. On one hand, the signing bonus Sasaki received from Los Angeles was less than what teams like the Padres and Toronto Blue Jays offered, suggesting that he wasn’t solely chasing the highest paycheck. On the other hand, the Dodgers, having already added so many quality players to their roster, can afford to provide a signing bonus that most teams in MLB cannot due to their budget constraints.
If many teams were to sign just one of the major contracts the Dodgers secured over the winter, offering a competitive signing bonus for Sasaki wouldn’t be feasible.
The system creates a situation where, despite all 30 teams having a similar amount of money in their International Bonus Pool, teams can still utilize their resources to create leverage. What is designed to create a relatively level playing field in an already imbalanced landscape comes with challenges.
There may be ways in the future to make access to these international players, who don’t qualify for standard free agency contracts, more accessible to all teams—whether by changing the age limit, switching to a draft format, or establishing a rollover system that restricts the amount of pool money that can be spent over several years.
But until then, the Dodgers will continue to find ways to maximize their leverage under the current rules.
Written By Anders Pryor