The offseason pitching market for Major League Baseball (MLB) has become significantly more intriguing with the announcement that Japanese star Roki Sasaki is set to be posted. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Chiba Lotte Marines revealed on Friday their intention to initiate the posting process for Sasaki, facilitating the opportunity for him to pitch in MLB during the upcoming season. Despite previously expressing his desire to join MLB, uncertainty loomed over whether the Marines would respect his wishes due to financial incentives that would have encouraged them to retain him for an additional two years.

Sasaki’s potential transition to MLB comes at a time when the Chiba Lotte Marines would face constraints related to international bonus pool restrictions. As a player under the age of 25 with less than six seasons of professional experience, retaining Sasaki would have allowed the team to benefit financially. However, by opting to post him now, Sasaki will likely be subject to signing a minor-league deal, effectively allowing all 30 MLB teams to participate in the bidding process. His signing bonus is expected to be appealingly low compared to what he might command as a true free agent. This situation is reminiscent of Shohei Ohtani's original signing with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017, where the Angels signed him for just $2.3 million in bonus money.

At 23 years old, having turned 23 on November 1, Sasaki could emerge as the most in-demand pitcher in this offseason's market, which also features notable names such as Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Blake Snell. Timing is crucial in this scenario, as it remains undetermined when exactly Sasaki will be posted, which could affect whether he falls into the 2024 or 2025 international amateur class. The window for the 2024 international signing period closes on December 15, and with many teams having already utilized a considerable chunk of their bonus funds, it has been speculated that Sasaki might only be able to secure around $2.5 million in signing money. Conversely, should his posting occur after the opening of the 2025 international signing period on January 15, all MLB clubs will see their bonus pools reset, with values ranging between $5.1 million and $7.6 million, allowing clubs ample financial flexibility through possible trades for additional bonus funds. Organizations such as the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins possess significant bonus money.

While the Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned as potential favorites to secure Sasaki, Passan cautioned against premature assumptions regarding his destination. Other teams identified as possible landing spots include the Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers. Regardless, it is anticipated that all 30 clubs will make a concerted effort to appeal to Sasaki once he is officially posted. Sasaki began his professional career with the Marines in 2021 at just 19 years old. He has been selected as an NPB All-Star in both 2022 and 2023, narrowly missing out on back-to-back perfect games by just one inning, and playing a vital role in Japan's victory in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.