Though Passan is right, it’s not a given just yet. The Dodgers are still thought to be the favorites to add Sasaki to their rotation. Because of the constant attention the Los Angeles squad receives, Passan thinks Sasaki might decide against joining the Dodgers.
“Sasaki will be closely associated with Los Angeles, but it is too soon to assume he will join the Dodgers,” Passan wrote. “The attention that Sasaki’s Samurai Japan colleagues Ohtani and Yamamoto bring, along with the media frenzy that follows them, adds a distinct element than other teams, even though their presence in Los Angeles is favorable.”
Sasaki would undoubtedly like to get back again with his World Baseball Classic colleagues Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, but Passan maintains that other MLB teams might be more alluring than the World Series champion.
“MLB general managers and presidents of baseball operations were regulars at Sasaki’s starts throughout the 2024 season,” Passan continued.
Right-hander Yu Darvish, whose team, the San Diego Padres, is a possible landing location, is close to Sasaski. Though Sasaki could choose a team with experience and pedigree (the Chicago Cubs), a team in a foreign city (the Toronto Blue Jays), one whose success with Japanese players still resonates (Darvish began his career with the Texas Rangers), or one whose reputation for bringing out the best in players (the Tampa Bay Rays), both New York teams are very interested in him. Once Sasaki is posted, a lot of other franchises can and will make compelling offers to him.
Despite being a WBC leader for Japan, Darvish is an experienced fighter who is getting too old for his position in San Diego. Ohtani and Yamamoto are still in Los Angeles for a number of years. Of course, other teams could present compelling reasons for Sasaki to join their team. Going to a team with familiar faces and a World Series title in hand, however, feels more alluring than anything else.