Roki Sasaki is officially being posted to Major League Baseball this offseason.

The Chiba Lotte Marines announced that the team has begun the process of posting Sasaki.

The Dodgers are considered the heavy favorites to sign him this offseason.

“We would like to inform you that we have decided to begin the process of pitcher (Roki Sasaki) transferring to a Major League Baseball (MLB) team via posting,” the team announced.

The team included a message from Sasaki: “Since I joined the team, the team has been listening to my thoughts about my future challenge in the MLB, and I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post now. There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was always supported by my teammates, staff, front office, and fans, and was able to come this far by concentrating only on baseball. 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 so that I can live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me this time.”

Sasaki is 23 years old and only eligible to sign a minor league contract with international bonus pool money as the signing bonus. The Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, are considered the favorites to land the pitching superstar.

The Marines’ general manager, Matsumoto, had this to say about Sasaki: “Ever since he joined the team, we have heard from him that he dreamed of playing in America. After making a comprehensive judgment over the past five years, we have decided to respect his wish. We hope he will do his best as a representative of Japan. We are rooting for him.”

Manager Yoshii also released a statement: “It’s a big blow for the team, of course. However, I’ve played in America myself, so I understand how he feels. I also understand his desire to take on the challenge now that he’s young. To be honest, he still has a lot to learn, but I think he’ll be able to hone himself and improve his level in America. When I saw him pitch for the first time in the bullpen at the Ishigakijima camp in 2020, it was the biggest shock I’ve seen since I first saw Hideo Nomo. I want him to prove that over there. Do your best.”