Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:
1. Sasaki decision draws nearer:
Roki Sasaki’s market is now down to three suitors. The Dodgers and Padres, long regarded as the heavy favorites to sign the 23-year-old Japanese star, are among the final two teams standing — as most would’ve anticipated. That the Blue Jays stand as the third and final entrant in the bidding, however, registers as an unexpected outcome. Toronto ostensibly has a legitimate chance at this point; Sasaki visited the city and saw the Jays’ home facilities over the weekend. The right-hander’s camp began informing teams yesterday that they’d been eliminated from the running, with the Giants, Rangers, Yankees, Mets and Cubs all learning they would not be Sasaki’s eventual destination.
Landing Sasaki would be something of a coup for a Jays front office that has finished runner-up in so many notable free agent and trade pursuits overt the past two offseasons. He’d give the Jays rotation depth they badly need at the moment, and do so with front-of-the-rotation upside and a minimal salary, of course. That’d leave more funds both for bringing in another prominent bat to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — whose extension status looms over the team as he approaches his final year before free agency.
2. What’s next for the Mariners?
Seattle’s desire to add infield help this winter has long been established, and yesterday they finally took a step toward that goal by signing veteran Donovan Solano to a one-year deal. Solano, 37, has been one of the league’s most consistent part-time bats since 2019. Though he’s never totaled more than 450 plate appearances in a season, the veteran has posted a robust .294/.353/.413 (112 wRC+) over the past six seasons. That includes a wRC+ of 118 in 309 trips to the plate with the Padres this past season.
As the roster is currently constructed, Solano would be in line for frequent at-bats against right-handers at third base while spelling Luke Raley at first base against southpaws. However, the Mariners have been seeking multiple infielders this winter — ideally a pair of corner infielders to help round out the offense. Adding Solano at an affordable rate could allow the M’s to spend a bit more heavily at the hot corner, be it via free agency or the trade market. A major splash for Alex Bregman almost certainly isn’t happening, but the Mariners reportedly had around $15-16MM to spend prior to adding Solano at $3.5MM.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
With arbitration figures exchanged and Spring Training less than a month away, we’re nearing the point where the baseball offseason starts to give way to preseason excitement even as major free agents remain unsigned and team needs remain unfulfilled. Whether you have questions about what’s left for your team to do this winter or a trade proposal in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.
Sasaki spotted throwing at Petco… did he visit any other stadiums?
His arm will fall off in LA
Probly best to go to SD, darvish can mentor him, still socal vibes, & winning potential
I think he’s going to LA and they will go to a six man rotation.
Why wouldn’t sasaki go to LA??? What does San Diego have to offer that LA does not, the only thing they have is a 38 year old darvish and even if that is the only holdup the dodgers would just re-trade for darvish to make everything better
Does sasaki want to go to a team that is cutting payroll? That is getting old? That has never won a World Series (and not been to one in almost 30 years)
RussianFemboy it’ll be six years before he hits FA. No need to worry about extending him now. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he goes to SD but I’m leaning towards LA.
Captain as I said it wouldn’t surprise me but if I remember correctly Tanaka was Yamamoto’s idol and he was always going to LA not NY. I don’t place much stock in friends, idols and distance from home in where a player wants to play. For every one that does want those things there’s a dozen that don’t care.
@joe says. Seems like the jays and m’s made it pretty far in this race, and they both had kikuchi at one point. Seems like sasaki had contact with him, and possibly planted seeds. He’s been scouted since he was 18. Same with darvish, maybe that’s why cubs and Rangers were finalists as well. Heard about the team and the city.
There is fire in San Diego as well! Only Toronto is safe, the sheets of ice protect the houses!
He’s going to LA, we all know it. The Dodgers are going with a 12 man rotation
They dont have 5 healthly arms right now. They will definitely use 12+ starters throughout the year as no one will eclipse 130 innings.
They had less last year down the stretch and won the WS. I think they will be fine
Gwynn – I heard he had visited Yankee Stadium, but two Yankee fans tried to pry his glove off his hand.
They were both honor students at the Jeffrey Maier Institute.
Those two man-children got permanently banned from all MLB ballparks after expressing zero remorse. I’d extend the ban to MiLB parks too.
YBC – Thanks, I didn’t realize the story was updated just 3 days ago. Hopefully “indefinitely” truly means a lifetime ban.
And then you’ve got the moron Gronk praising the two guys because he went to college with one of them ….. just amazing how ignorant some people can be. But what do you expect from a guy who smashed a glass on stage with spectators sitting nearby.
lol at no remorse. Sound like well put together folks.
fopp – They were very, very lucky they didn’t injure Mookie’s wrists.
Yeah Fever. I was watching. Crazy. It even made the news down here. How you can look at yourself doing that and not go “I might have farked up there”. Ha ha. People are strange.
fopp – Yep, normally booze makes something seem like a good idea at the time …. and then you sober up and realize it was actually a really bad idea.
Not those two clowns though.
And the Yankees were gonna let them return for Game 5!!!
Good thing MLB stepped in, protecting their assets.
Ha ha. Been there.
Exactly. Obviously clowns.
@RussianFemboy
Yes, the Mets are going to pay him next year.
@RussianFemboy
I was expecting the Nats and Sox to spend a bit this winter but they’ve been pretty nonexistent. I don’t think the Sox are the same Sox a decade ago. I doubt they spend much to get Vlad. I believe the Mets will sign him to combine with Soto.
Yankees will be going after Munetaka Murakami in the offseason.
@russian. His dad’s former team doesn’t exist the closest to that is Toronto. Angels would be the next stop.
Vlad SR is not related at all to the nationals…
The Mets payroll is actually down compared to last year and if they don’t resign Alonso they could just go to next year and pluck vlad
The Montreal Expos only exist in namesake at this point. MLB took over the organization in the early 2000’s and stripped it before it got moved and sold to DC.
Im not even sure Vlad Sr ever played a game in DC. I’m not sure when he moved to a full time DH but that would’ve limited him in inter league if they played.
York – I heard Munetaka is so good that if the Twins sign him they will name a lake in Minnesota after him.
@russian.
No it’s not. that franchise doesn’t exist anymore. He has no ties to the nationals. Either way I’m not convinced that he cares to follow in his father’s footsteps since he was left behind. I don’t think they were exactly close until recently.
sad – He’s among the franchise leaders in several categories!
baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/leaders_bat.shtml
Team names are irrelevant, it’s the same franchise.
Russian – Da.
No chance? Money talks. Cohen spends big, very big, on young, impact players. That’s why Lindor and Soto were must signs. I can see Vlad fitting that profile. Cohen will outbid everyone when he wants a player.
Now Hoyer has no excuse to not spend for a serious rotation addition. (Not to mention, legit closer and bench depth)
The pivots the other two teams take will be interesting. LA is set with or without him. Do the Jays move to Flaherty? Does SD keep Cease? Those are the parts of this cruddy reality show I’m more interested in..
@Russian: Impossible for the Padres to trade Cease “after next season.” He’s a FA at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
I think the Jays will sign Santander if he denies them and the Pads will stay status quo until the trade deadline.
what about the Yankees, they need a “real “third baseman?
Sasaki will fool experts and sign with Seattle. Ichiro’s team. Great pitchers’ park. Seattle will negotiate with Castillo on his ‘No trade’ clause and deal him to save roughly 24M in salary. Then convert savings into FA signing of either Santander or Bregman
Oh, westcasey…
And it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
Wake up wake up, you’re dreaming again fellow Mariner’s fan.
As garbas the Tigers are concerned….
Their international signings have never had much of an impact on the team……
Never.
Perez?
Ibanez?
Baseball WILL BE MORE ENTERTAINING, when players start peppering the ball up the middle when playing the Dodgers.
It WILL BE FUN!
The only good thing that would come out of Roki signing with the Dodgers is the inevitable eruption of indignation that will come from baseball fans everywhere but LA.
I have no idea nor do I care to guess about where Sasaki will sign, but I think it’s kind of hilarious to anticipate almost universal indignation from fans if he signs with the winners of the 2024 World Series. So outrageous!
not sure why the Jays are deemed unexpected
1. they’ve been sending scouts to Japan to watch Sasaki for 3 years.
2. they have been in the running on many FAs.
3. Toronto has a large Asian population
4. unlike in LA (ohtani and Yamamoto) and SD (Darkish), he would be the Japanese marketable star in Toronto. perfect chance to build his name/brand in NA before becoming a true free agent in a few years.
Team is very bad at the MLB level, Bo and Vlad are FA next off season (Varsho FA the next year), no farm, not west coast (huge factor), crappy stadium too.
I am a non-bias Torontonian. …or maybe I am biased towards how bad the Jays are.
I agree the outlook is bad but a Roki/Santander off-season drastically changes this seasons outlook and maybe the long term outlook.
do I think the Jays are the favourite? no, but all these reports it’s surprising are US media not knowing that he Jays have been scouting him since he was 21 and are forgetting that the Jays have been finalists for many players, (though always the bridesmaid, never the bride)
No. You’re not. I made same pro-points yesterday which @MoneyBallJustWorks noted. Sasaki also has Vancouver eyeballs. Who knows what his true motivations are.
possibly. they will have the money.
Jays fans are setting themselves up for disappointment.
Agreed, I put him at 0% odds of coming to Toronto at the start of the winter, then 1% as rumors started up, now around 10-20% but the bloody hope is growing again, just like with Ohtani a year ago. So frustrating, but beats wondering if Vlad will sign long term..
Mariners already have the best rotation in baseball. Sasaki would be their 6th starter. That’s how good the Mariners rotation is.
While the Mariners tied with the Braves for lowest ERA, they had the 9th best ERA+ in the majors. Just as the park suppresses their offense, it makes their pitching look a lot better than it really is.
but no real playoff calibre team 3B, 2B, or 1B.
He was already offered 340 mill
It is easy to say that Sasaki will be a Padre soon! Yu Darvish deserves credit for being the influence!
I have the order as Padres, Blue Jays and Dodgers.
Don’t forget Nomo is in Pads FO n he is God as far as Japanese Ps to MLB goes.
It is easy to say he will be an M also. Doesn’t make it true. If we had an ownership group that was trying to build a team not turn a profit I am sure some of these guys would come here. The Ms make money hand over fist and only take. It still could be the Ms but doubt it. Sign Alonso for a couple years wait to see how the youngins do then fill in. More than Sasaki not coming here this group will not sign the pitchers we have because they will be too expensive.
Passan who is pretty legit says it down to three teams. When Jack Curry announced that the Yankees were out, I believed him and didn’t need further confirmation.
and whatever nightingale says, we can actually believe the opposite is true creatures
If he goes to the Padres because of Yu, Jed n more so Tommy Nickels really F’d themselves and the franchise w the biblical losses and trading away Yu for basically nothing
It would have cost them paying Yu these past couple of years and maybe make the playoffs, but that alone would have been worth it for 6 years of cheap TOR innings from Roki
Just sign w LA already, as all of us knew he would from day one.
Lol. If he would take even 300. He would already be signed by the Jays
He’s looking for 500 and the jays probably at 400 max
Vlad laughs at $250 mil – he already rejected a Jays offer of $340 million (he said so in an interview) and is looking for at least $100 million more. Is anyone willing to risk $450-500 million on him? Guess we’ll find out.