The Giants are currently introducing future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander at a press conference, but there’s some other headline news coming out of that media session as well. Giants general manager Zack Minasian revealed during his comments that while his team met with Roki Sasaki’s camp, they’ve now been informed that Sasaki will not be signing there (link via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area).
There are no further details on the matter than that. It’s not fully clear whether Sasaki visited Oracle Park in San Francisco or whether the meeting being referenced was conducted in Los Angeles, at the headquarters for Sasaki’s agency, Wasserman. That’s moot at this juncture anyhow, though, as the Giants’ elimination from the process is the latest step in narrowing the field.
Agent Joel Wolfe detailed at last month’s Winter Meetings that the plan for Sasaki’s free agency was for teams to submit initial presentations and pitches prior to the holidays. Sasaki and Wasserman hosted interested teams for meetings at a central location — Wasserman’s L.A. headquarters — and the plan was for the 23-year-old righty to then visit some finalists in their home locales after the holidays.
A full list of teams with which he’s visited isn’t publicly known, though Sasaki did travel to Toronto to meet with the Blue Jays recently. Presumably, with Wasserman being based in Los Angeles, Sasaki has met with the Dodgers and nearby Padres — the two long-presumed favorites in the bidding. Other clubs that have been prominently linked to Sasaki include the Rangers, Yankees, Mets, Cubs and Mariners.
With Sasaki not coming to San Francisco and Verlander’s deal now official, the Giants’ rotation appears all but set. Verlander will join Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks in rounding out a quintet that’s quite talented but has a handful of question marks (Verlander’s age, Ray’s health, Hicks’ workload). In-house depth options with at least some big league experience include Tristan Beck, Hayden Birdsong, Mason Black and Landen Roupp.
Oh boy he’s a dodger what a Cinderella story
It’s disgusting because the Dodgers are buying pennants, not developing them, although—in this case—money is not an object but the specter of dynasty that will probably land Sasaki. I’m hoping ANY other team will be his destination.
Nobody cared when the Rangers bought a pennant 2 years ago
Giants fans when Dodgers sign top guys
“ThEy’Re BuYiNg PeNnAnTs!”
Giants fans when their FO fails to sign top guys “Why we lowball them?”
Everybody lowballs players except the dodgers ok
just heard the Yanks and Mets are out.
He’s a Dodger unfortunately that’s why.
Nah
Hahahahaha
Cant roki announce the tm he’s chosen alredy? Intl FAs verbally agree months in advance im assuming roki can as well, doesnt have to wait til jan 15 to verbally say what tm he is intending to sign with
*team? Can I buy a vowel?”
We need at least 5 days of continuous storylines. Keep the writers busy and profitable! Peoples homes have burned we need to provide a distraction.
Yes and ads…they don’t click themselves
Speaking of that, wouldn’t it be nice if the Dodgers and their hired millionaires would contribute to the rebuilding of SoCal ? Pass the hat around folks.
why stop the wining and dining? would you?
Anyone who thought he wasnt going to the Dodgers is funny
He’s not
Nice to know now. Him waiting until Jan 20 is a joke and disruptive for the other teams.
Rooting for the Angels now, let’s go!
The Japan Dodgers will strike again. So anticlimactic when you know the ending already.
Japanipulation
He’s definitely not going to the dodgers
@davemlaw. Don’t think the angels even met him.
As the article states, a full list of teams he met with isn’t publicly known. Too many people to share opinions without backing. It would be fun to see him sign with someone unexpected.
Hate the game, not the player.
Let’s be real, why would any young starting pitcher go to the Angels at this point?
I’d have to see their presentation in full to answer that. I’m sure they gave plenty of reasons.
It’s not that hard. “I am joining the dodgers on Jan 15th, thank for your consideration”. The Cubs can finally move on to plan B. Hope and pray.
Always was going to be Dodgers or Padres.
I don’t think he is going to end up a padre with the way that ownership has been falling apart
Agree, but not confident…you could have an argument about the Dodgers and their development in pitchers also. How many have been shelved due to arm injuries/Tj?
I mean they really have chewed up everyone except kershaw who lasted quite a while and urias who chewed himself up
I’ve said all along it’s where he wants to play since all 30 teams would and could sign him.
You’re lying to yourself if you don’t think the Dodgers are the best fit. When was the last time teams like the Blue Jays or Padres developed a great or even good homegrown starter? I’d actually consider the Giants before these teams.
Roy Halladay! Checkmate.
Twenty years ago…?
for the jays, outside of Stroman, you could argue Romero if it weren’t for his knees, but Hallady is the best in the last 25… and that’s going back to before the millennium flipped. (yikes)
If you want to talk about All-Star starters, the last for each team:
Blue Jays: Stroman
Padres Peavy?
Those are prospects, which he isn’t.
Jays helped Ray get a 5 year deal, helped make Kikuchi and Matz valuable, turned Romero in to a premier closer.
Their drafting stinks don’t get be wrong but it’s not all doom and gloom
I don’t disagree with this but do you think that development is going to be a top consideration?
He’s not a high A prospect.
He’s not a finished product, though. It wouldn’t surprise me if he spent some time in the minors. There’s a reason why he’s asking teams about their player development.
Yes Fred but would say that jays do have some Pros in that column.
Pete Walker may be a terrible drunk driver, but he has a top notch reputation for finishing off pitchers who need that last little edge. It’s just that most of the ones he’s helped have been in the majors for a long time before he gets them, because his team has been terrible at drafting and developing in the minors. (Although his most recent success story Bowden Francis had no prior MLB experience.)
You could chalk that up to luck or scouting as much as you could development
When’s the last time the Dodger didn’t develop a pitcher that didn’t land on the perennial Injured list?
Same question can be asked for the Guardians or Rays or any team that’s good at developing young starters. Injuries to young starting pitching is an industry issue.
fred-3 — Yes, the Giants have traditionally been one of the Major’s most successful teams developing pitchers, and they’re at it again. Their plethora of young arms have a wealth of talent. But I guess Roki is mesmerized by the Dodgers. I hope I’m wrong.
You’re lying to yourself if you think that was a priority qualifier. Those teams would have been eliminated by a simple Google search if it was. Detroit just had a home grown CY Young in Skubal, but may not have gotten a meeting (but maybe they did?)
Detroit is the team he should come to. Lots of young players that are being developed. I dont think most guys realize just how deep the tigers minor leagues are. Put him in the pitcher friendly home field with a whole punch of guys his age to play with and lots of training.
Ignoring the fact that every dodgers pitcher now has health concerns
if that’s the determining factor he would be going to the Mariners
They were never in it. He’s going to the Dodgers
Raise your hand if your surprised
Still a solid rotation without him. Question marks sure, but every team has them.
Minasian bros are so incompetent
@reynaldo’s. He thought zach was perry, and said I already told him no.
@stymeedone. Ok so he had 20 zoom calls with teams, and seven teams went to his agent headquarters to meet with him without players. It’s pretty much known.i could be wrong and you could right or I can be right and you could be wrong. I can be black and you can be white.
Why anyone would want to sign with any crap hole California team is beyond me.
I have a feeling a lot of things are beyond you
well that is because you are an idiot sir
Snakes
It’s because none of the MLB or the 40 million idiots living in California are as smart as you and Sean Hannity
Who’s Sean Hannity?
Because despite what people who have never been to, or lived in California say, it’s one of the best places in the world to be.
I live here. It used to be okay. Not anymore.
then there’s Arizona where your snakes play. Basically has all the same problems CA has except its way hotter but also has almost nothing going on culturally or entertainment wise like you get in LA, SD, or the bay area.
every place has problems but if California isn’t perfect it gets amplified by idiots with an axe to grind because they didn’t get enough love as a child
You’re way too easy to troll. But I’ve enjoyed your meltdown.
are you talking to me – I am just pointing out what a total moron you are – no meltdown here. It is just sad that people like you exist.
Your reply questioning if it’s you I’m talking to tells me all I need to know about you.
What that I responded to a response that makes no sense, get a life keyboard warrior
Used to be… not anymore – now Cali is a great place to be FROM…!!!
Any mention of the term “Cali” disqualifies the writer.
Which boring, empty and cultureless suburbia are you from?
With the exception of the weather Cleveland would actually help him the most to become the pitcher that the Dodgers end up spending big on once he’s a FA.
The whole baseball world knows he’s a Dodger.. In ten years when a different team wins the world series we can all celebrate together.
He’s not gonna be a dodger
So every year for the next ten will be ho hum for you and all the other blue dorks? How not exciting.
In with the first ‘the Dodgers are ruining baseball’ comment.
The problem for the Giants is that they never have established a history and a following in Japan like the Dodgers have. They signed the first Japanese player in MLB, Masanori Murakami, in 1964 and have never signed a notable player from there since.
there’s literally a team in Japan named after them with the same uniforms even…pretty sure that counts in establishing a history and a following.
Thank you for saving me the time from typing all this up
sacball, they had a big following there in the 1960’s. The Giants used to go over and played exhibition games against Japanese clubs in the off season. They haven’t done anything to sustain the connection since then.
Tsuyoshi Shinjo I believe is the only other Japanese signee the Giants had.
No love for Aoki?
Both Aoki and Shinjo, as well as Yabu were signed originally by other MLB teams. Tanaka is the only player besides Murakami signed out of the NBP. I wouldn’t call any of those guys an impact player.
The big boss now is his name
We need to just like the Japanese league. They only allow 2 non-Japanese players per team. We should cap the MLB teams at 2 professional Japanese players per.
NPB does that so it doesn’t get overrun with American players. MLB is open to the best players.
How does that help to grow the game internationally here? Why not place the same limits on Dominican, Mexican, Cuban, and Korean leagues as well?
Bleacher: NPB is nearly equivalent to MLB. If the Dodgers are going to get every top player who comes out of NPB, it will kill interest in MLB. There is no need (presently) for such measure from any other league in the world.
You may remember that they capped international spending for Latin America for a similar reason, to maintain competitive balance. .
That cap is for prospects, not players with professional experience. Six years is the minimum for international players to negotiate for more than a minor league deal, that system is fine.
I’m not happy to see the Dodgers get all the biggest Japanese players either, but the issue is with the money deferrals which saves one of the richest teams heaps of millions and lets them circumvent paying luxury tax on their contracts. The MLB needs to fix THAT issue.
Instead of punishing the players why not go back to the old system where teams could offer free agent contracts without monetary restrictions? That way, a player could go to the team that wants them most instead of the one that’s currently winning.
youngliam: It was an apples and oranges comparison to begin with. There are no professional leagues comparable to NPB & MLB. The point stands though. MLB stepped into the Latin pipeline specifically to stop the Yankees and to a lesser extent the Red Sox from gobbling up all the best amateur players.
MLB and MLBPA together need to work those issues out between them…
Always a bridesmaid
There will be 28 more “always a bridesmaids”
Huge wedding party for sure.
Tigers. Definitely the Tigers. Yes, I’m kidding. But they should be in the running. Detroit has a vibrant Japanese community, and the Tigers have Chris Fetter who helped develop Tarik Skubal, rehabbed Jack Flaherty, and turned a bunch of also-rans into a playoff staff last year.
You forgot how they revitalized Lorenzen, and have turned waiver wire pickups into vital bullpen assets.
Shocked, absolutely shocked I say! Another year of the Giants being played to up the offer the Dodgers will pay. I predict $750 million with $749 million deferred
This had been explained ad nauseum. You can unpause Comedy Central.
He is going to look great in his new White Sox uniform.
Much adieu about nothing.
Padres lit the Palisades fire? Really?
No one is choosing san fran cause the city turned awful
Bugger. Was holding some hope.
Why is every other team limited to 26 roster spots but the Dodgers are allowed to have 75? Totally unfair!!!!
So far reports are the Rangers are still in. Would love to see Bochy get him.
Yeah baseball has a problem and 29 other fanbases know it
Not going to the Giants? Sasaki’s loss.
This is no news,we all know where he going to.He’s mind where already made up where he wants to go,he’s just another Otani and Yamamoto import playing the role.
Deal was likely done a long time ago. Everything else just for show.
Dodgers. The NBA superteam has come to MLB. Oh Yeah.
And that’s the giants down for the count. But what’s this!? My God it’s Mystery Team with a steeeeeeel chaaaaair!
I believe Sasaki will sign with San Diego. He has long admired Yu Darvish and Darvish has probably tried to persuade him to join the Padres!
As long as it isn’t the Dodgers, as the Dodgers are going to ruin baseball!
Sucks to suck. I haven’t been informed that I am out of the running for dating Sydney Sweeney.
I thought you were the last minute Mystery Date…