BASEBALL: Japanese ace Roki Sasaki to become available to MLB teams this ロビカスoffseasonTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS November 9, 2024 at 17:52 JST
Roki Sasaki of Japan pitches during their Pool B game against the Czech Republic at the World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 11, 2023. (AP file photo) CHIBA--Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will be available to Major League Baseball teams this offseason. The Chiba Lotte Marines announced Saturday they have chosen to start the process of moving the pitcher to a big league club in North America via the posting system. The right-hander, who turned 23 this month, is expected to become one of the most sought-after pitchers on the open market. He went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings. Because he is younger than 25, Sasaki will be classified as an international amateur free agent subject to international bonus pool limits, according to MLB rules. That means his first contract would be a minor league deal no larger than seven figures. The Marines will receive a percentage fee for posting him, with the amount determined by the size of his contract. It's unclear yet when Sasaki will officially be posted, starting the 45-day clock for him to sign with a major league club. Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 mph, and he had a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines. He pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022. “Since I joined the team, the team has been listening to my thoughts about my future MLB challenge, and I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post," Sasaki said in a statement posted by the Marines on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. "There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was able to get to this point by concentrating only on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, front office, and fans. I will do my best to work my way up from my minor contract to become the best player in the world, so that I will have no regrets in my one and only baseball career and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me this time.” |
元大関・貴景勝、元関脇の妙義龍と碧山ら11人の引退力士を発表 元十両の琴裕将は若者頭に「完璧。これだ」大の里が新大関昇進の口上で使った四字熟語は父の口癖だった池江璃花子、急性リンパ性白血病の「完全寛解」を報告「とても長い5年間だった」感謝の思いつづる「結婚指輪物語」最終15巻発売、めいびいのサイン会を秋葉原で「いい女」「ヤバ、可愛すぎ」卓球の早田ひなが「もはやモデル以上!」「女優感」と絶賛横峯さくらの父・良郎氏、宮崎・西都市長選に無所属で出馬 公約は「コストコ誘致」「ふるさと納税日本一」うだる夏、2人で溶け合おう…人妻とのラブサスペンス「最後の夏を人妻と」1巻大の里の大関昇進が正式決定 史上初の“ちょんまげ大関”誕生 初土俵から所要9場所は昭和以降最速アニメ「ねこに転生したおじさん」おじさん&プンちゃんたちのやりとり収めた本PV(動画あり)舞台「ぐらんぶる」メインキャラ集結したキービジュアル、撮影風景収めたCM到着(動画あり)