Roki Sasaki, a 23 year old Japanese pitching phenom, is going through the process of being posted and being made available for all 30 MLB ball clubs to pursue. Unlike an off-season ago when Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed for $325 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers, there are restrictions on how much Roki Sasaki can sign for. That being said, his decision on which team to sign with will come down to more than just money and recently one MLB Insider said that the Milwaukee Brewers are a team that makes a lot of sense for him to sign with.
Why are there restrictions on how much Roki Sasaki can sign for?
When players from Japan desire to come to the United States they go through the process of being posted by their former employer. This makes them available to sign as a free agent, but players under the age of 25 can only initially sign Minor League deals as they are considered international free agents. Despite this being labeled a “Minor League deal”, Roki Sasaki could still be added to the 40-man roster prior to the start of the season and he subsequently would remain under control of the signing organization for several years that includes potentially going through the arbitration process.
Where does the money restriction of signing Roki Sasaki come into play?
As mentioned, Roki Sasaki will be considered an international free agent. This means that organizations must use money out of their international bonus pool in order to sign him. It is expected that he officially will be posted after December 2 because this will mean that organizations can use their 2025 pool money. The Brewers are one of eight teams with over $7.5 million in international pool money at their disposal.
2025 Int’l Bonus Pools:
$7,555,500 pool: CIN, DET, MIA, MIL, MIN, ATH, SEA, TB
$6,908,600 pool: AZ, BAL, CLE, COL, KC, PIT
$6,261,600 pool: ATL, BOS, CHC, CHW, LAA, NYM, NYY, PHI, SD, TEX, TOR, WAS
$5,646,200 pool: HOU, STL
$5,146,200 pool: LAD, SF
Suddenly more relevant! pic.twitter.com/lUn5UuzTs3
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) November 9, 2024
MLB Insider Robert Murray indicated that Roki Sasaki signing with the Milwaukee Brewers makes a ton of sense
On Foul Territory, MLB Insider Robert Murray talked about the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. He talked about the uniqueness of this opportunity and how one team will sign a very talented pitcher for not a lot of money. Murray made note that he has not specifically heard the Milwaukee Brewers linked to Roki Sasaki, but their history of successfully developing young pitchers could play a massive factor as to why he potentially signs with the Brewers.
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