The San Diego Padres are still very much alive in the race to sign Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki.While many believe Roki Sasaki is destined for the Los Angeles Dodgers, recent rumors suggesting that Sasaki and his management have secretly agreed to join the team have sparked anger from his agent, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Joel Wolfe expressed his frustration to The Athletic, saying, “While many executives who should know me better and do business with me insult my integrity by implying I’d be involved in some underhanded deal, the truth is, this is simply poor sportsmanship.”
Despite the rumors that have angered his agent, Joel Wolfe, they are unlikely to deter him from securing the best deal for his client. Sasaki is still expected to carefully weigh his options when choosing his first MLB team.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been seen as the frontrunner in the race for Sasaki, thanks to their roster featuring his fellow countrymen, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Combined with L.A.’s 2024 World Series title, its large market, strong organization, and overall environment, the Dodgers remain an attractive destination for the young right-hander.
However, the San Diego Padres also have an advantage, with star pitcher Yu Darvish, one of Sasaki’s countrymen, already on the roster. The mentor-mentee bond between Darvish and Sasaki could play a significant role in the decision-making process, potentially swaying Sasaki to join the Padres this offseason. Ultimately, the way Wolfe has publicly dismissed the notion of a secret agreement suggests that the competition for Sasaki may be more wide open than originally believed.
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