Japanese starting pitcher Roki Sasaki has been one of the most coveted international baseball players by MLB teams for years. With the 23-year-old righty officially posted to MLB free agency in December, suitors immediately emerged and lined up visits with the NPB All-Star hurler.

For nearly a year now, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been viewed as the favorites for Sasaki. He would team up with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, giving the Dodgers rotation three Japanese starting pitchers. However, more recent MLB rumors have revealed it’s more of a wide-open competition for him.

• Roki Sasaki stats 2024 (Baseball Reference): 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 4.03 K/BB, 10.5 K/9, 6.7 H/9, 0.2 HR/9 in 111 innings pitched

Sasaki has already met with multiple MLB teams, including the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. Because of MLB’s international free agency restrictions for players younger than 25, money will not be a significant factor in determining where Sasaki signs.

The young right-handed pitcher is weighing a few critical factors into his decision-making progress, some of which help the Mets, Cubs and Yankees. However, the latest news this week doesn’t bode well for New York or Chicago’s efforts.

According to the New York Post‘s Jon Heyman, many around MLB would be shocked if Ohtani doesn’t land with a West Coast team.

• Roki Sasaki career stats (NPB): 2.45 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 5.74 K/BB, 11.5 K/9, 6.0 H/9, 0.3 HR/9 in 394.2 innings pitched

One person familiar with the process told Heyman that the Dodgers’ chances of signing Sasaki are “better than 50/50” but the move is no longer seen as a foregone conclusion. Los Angeles is facing significant competition for Sasaki.

The Padres have emerged as a viable threat in part because of Sasaki’s close relationship with fellow Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. San Diego also offers the smaller-market environment that Sasaki reportedly prefers. If Sasaki signs with the Padres, it’s believed that the likelihood of a Dylan Cease trade this offseason increases.