Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki will be available to Major League Baseball teams this offseason.
The Chiba Lotte Marines announced on Saturday that they have started the process of making Sasaki available to MLB clubs through the posting system.
Sasaki, who turned 23 this month, is expected to be one of the most highly sought-after pitchers during the offseason. This year, the right-hander had a strong season, going 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games, striking out 129 batters in 111 innings.
Because Sasaki is under 25 years old, he will be classified as an international amateur free agent under MLB rules, which means his first contract will be subject to bonus pool limits. This means his initial deal would likely be a minor league contract worth no more than seven figures.
The Marines will receive a fee for posting Sasaki, with the amount based on the size of his MLB contract.
It is still unclear when Sasaki will officially be posted, which will start the 45-day period in which he can sign with a major league team.
Sasaki played a key role in helping Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 mph, and over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines, he has a career record of 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA. In April 2022, Sasaki pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes, striking out 13 consecutive batters and finishing with 19 strikeouts.
In a statement posted by the Marines on X (formerly Twitter), Sasaki said, “Since I joined the team, the team has been listening to my thoughts about my future MLB challenge, and I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post.”
He continued, “There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was able to get to this point by concentrating only on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, front office, and fans.
I will do my best to work my way up from my minor contract to become the best player in the world, so that I will have no regrets in my one and only baseball career and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me.”
