The Atlanta Braves have been too quiet this offseason, but that’s generally when a big splash comes out of nowhere. There is still plenty of time left and guys left on the market. The Braves can’t go into the 2025 campaign with their roster as currently constructed. Acquisitions will be made, and a name the entire MLB world will be keeping a close eye on over the next month is Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki.
Per USA Today Sports Bob Nightingale, 20 teams reached out to the 23-year-old pitcher in hopes of landing him in free agency, and everybody should feel like they have a puncher’s chance. Because of Sasaki’s age, he can’t be offered a major-league contract like Yoshinobu Yamamoto received from the Dodgers last offseason. Teams can only offer him a signing bonus out of their international bonus pool, meaning this isn’t a decision that is going to come down to dollars and cents.
Sasaki’s top priority is becoming an all-time great rather than making the most money. His agent Joel Wolfe made that a point of emphasis in his recent press conference. He also said that, at 23 years old, Sasaki is not a finished product, which is why he is prioritizing joining an organization with a history of player development.
“Roki is by no means a finished product. He knows it and the teams know it. He is incredibly talented. We all know that. But he is a guy that wants to be great,” Wolfe said, via Bill Plunkett on Twitter/X.
“He’s not coming here to be rich or to get a huge contract. He wants to be great. He wants to be one of the greatest ever… To be that he knows he has to challenge himself,” Wolfe continued.Â
Most still expect Roki Sasaki to end up with the Dodgers or another team with a Japanese contingent, most likely on the West Coast, which is much closer to Japan. However, Wolfe has made it clear that it will be a thorough process in which every team with an interest will be considered. That process is in the infant stages right now, and the Braves are sure to be among the interested parties.
While being on the East Coast will not provide them an advantage, one thing the Braves can hang their hat on is their player development. Few can rival the amount of homegrown talent they’ve developed, and Sasaki would be joining an organization where he can quickly start competing for championships when he’s ready. That has to be an attractive proposition for a talent with his makeup, which should give Braves fans a glimmer of hope as these talks accelerate.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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