REPORT: Roki Sasaki’s choice has become crystal clear; the team he wishes to join is gradually being revealed

SAN FRANCISCO — Potential Giants target Roki Sasaki is spending the holidays with his family back in Japan, but on Monday, his agent gave fresh details about the pursuit of the most intriguing player left on the market this offseason.

MLB free agent Roki Sasaki in process of narrowing 20 interested teams – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

Joel Wolfe of Wasserman said Sasaki met with teams in person earlier this month and is in the process of deciding whether to hold more meetings or begin a second round, which would include narrowing the field and could include visits to ballparks. Sasaki had two-thirds of MLB organizations show interest after he was posted, but Wolfe would not confirm specific meetings or suitors out of respect for the process, which he said was a complicated one. On a Zoom call with reporters, Wolfe called it a “very unique process” for a “very unique player.”

Sasaki, 23, is viewed as the best international player in the class that will be eligible to sign starting Jan. 15 and will immediately become one of the sport’s best pitching prospects. He is potentially sacrificing hundreds of millions by coming over to the United States early, but Wolfe said he has learned that his client is very driven to prove himself in MLB.

“Roki is by no means a finished product — he knows it and the teams know it,” Wolfe said. “He’s incredibly talented, we all know that, but he is a guy that wants to be great. He’s not coming here just to be rich or get a huge contract. He wants to be great. He wants to be one of the greatest ever. I see that now and he has articulated it. To be that, he knows he has to challenge himself.”

Wolfe said he did not ask teams to refrain from talking about meetings, but they have done so anyway. It’s not known exactly how many meetings Sasaki had, but Wolfe did give some insight into the process.

Shortly after Sasaki was posted earlier this month, Wolfe sent a letter inviting every team to send any pertinent information for Sasaki to go over. He said 20 teams submitted information, which ranged from PowerPoint presentations and short films to books about how they could help Sasaki reach his potential.

“It was like a Roki film festival,” Wolfe said.

From there, in-person meetings were scheduled. Sasaki wanted a fair and level playing field, so every meeting thus far has been held at Wasserman’s office in Los Angeles and every team was given the same two-hour time limit for its presentation.

Sasaki asked that current MLB players not be involved in the meetings. He also gave every team that was granted an in-person meeting a “homework assignment,” Wolfe said, meant to show how they can analyze and communicate information.

Wolfe said he believes the next step will be narrowing the field, although that is up to Sasaki. He also said he doesn’t anticipate Sasaki signing right away on Jan. 15, the day he is first eligible.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been considered the favorite to land Sasaki, but Wolfe has twice met with reporters to try and make it clear that his client is open-minded. He said Monday that Sasaki does not seem swayed one way or another by whether a team already has Japanese stars. His main focus is finding a team that can help with his development as a pitcher.

The Giants are hopeful they’re that team, and president of baseball operations Buster Posey has been open about his desire to add the right-hander, who has a triple-digit fastball and a long track record of dominance in Japan even at such a young age.

“I was watching some of his highlights and it’s kind of next-level, mind-blowing type of stuff with the fastball and then the split off of that. Those are the two (pitches) that really stood out in my mind. He’s a great one,” Posey said on the Giants Talk Podcast two weeks ago. “(The situation is) very unique and it’s a credit to him as a player, too, right? His willingness to come over when he’s coming, he’s giving up a lot of money. He could have waited a couple of more years and been really primed up, so I think it just shows his willingness to just go ahead and put his stamp on the big leagues.”

Related Posts

🚨 MLB INSIDE RESET: The White Sox’s newly assembled coaching staff is raising quiet but serious questions across the league, as subtle hires, shifted responsibilities, and a clear change in philosophy hint at a deeper organizational reset. What looks like routine restructuring on the surface may actually signal a long term plan that hasn’t been fully explained yet — and insiders believe the real impact will only become clear once the season pressure hits.

The Chicago White Sox have finalized their coaching staff for the 2026 season following sweeping changes made at the end of September.

🚨 MLB INSIDE TRADE RUMBLINGS: The Braves are suddenly being linked to a bold trade for a $6 million NL rival left hander, a move insiders say could quietly solve multiple problems at once and even position him as a long term heir to Chris Sale. What looks like a low risk deal on paper may actually hide a far bigger plan, with Atlanta reportedly intrigued by a dynamic arsenal that hasn’t fully been unlocked yet — and the timing of this rumor is raising serious eyebrows across the league.

The Braves could go after a young star.

🚨 MLB INSIDE STORM BREWING: As hopes of an Alex Bregman return quietly fade, a new projection suggests the Red Sox may be preparing a jaw dropping $186 million swing for Bo Bichette, a move insiders believe could redefine Boston’s future in one bold stroke. What once seemed unrealistic is now gaining traction behind the scenes, and if this prediction turns real, the ripple effect could shock the AL East and completely change how this offseason is remembered.

A former MLB executive now believes that the Boston Red Sox will land coveted free agent infielder Bo Bichette from Toronto.

🚨 MLB INSIDE WHISPERS: Something big is quietly brewing behind closed doors in New York, as new projections hint the Yankees may be lining up an elite shortstop signing that goes far beyond a normal free-agency move. What started as a low-key prediction is now being viewed as a potential power shift, with insiders suggesting this decision could redefine the Yankees’ identity and force the entire American League to adjust sooner than expected.

The New York Yankees haven’t done much during the offseason, but MLB rumors continue to swirl. New York has been […]

Cubs Predicted To Land Marquee Free Agent Starting Pitcher On Six-Year Contract

The Cubs are in the market for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, and David Schoenfield of ESPN predicted them to land Framber Valdez, previously of the Houston Astros.

🚨 INSIDE NFL REVELATION: The Packers reportedly had a stunning opportunity to sign an all time great for just $5 million, yet chose to walk away without even making a free agent offer — a quiet decision that is now raising serious questions inside the fanbase and league circles alike. What seemed insignificant at the time is suddenly being revisited as a potential turning point, with insiders suggesting this missed move could have changed far more than anyone realized.

Green Bay missed an opportunity.