Right-hander Roki Sasaki was officially posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines this week and is reportedly expected to begin meetings with clubs in the days ahead.
The nature of Sasaki’s ‘free agency’ differs from that of domestic versions, and that of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last winter. Sasaki is under 25 years of age (23) and has less than six years of experience, which makes him an amateur free agent and subject to Major League Baseball’s international signing rules generally reserved for prospects from Latin America.
This fact means every club in baseball can fit Sasaki into their self-imposed budgets. But it doesn’t mean every team has a chance, and for the Seattle Mariners acquiring the star hurler doesn’t mean one of their current starting pitchers should be readily available in trade.
