BASEBALL: Japanese ace Roki Sasaki to become available to MLB teams this プレミアリーグ日程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.” |
今永昇太が5回1失点力投も援護なく3敗目、10勝目お預け 鈴木誠也が30歳誕生日も4の1板垣李光人、アイス“もぐもぐ”ショットにファンもん絶!「板垣くんの可愛さで溶けそう」「爽やかすぎる」【道場へ行こう】移転前に…総本山「将棋会館道場」でへとへとに大谷翔平が2戦連発の39号先制&決勝ソロ “MVPトリオ”フリーマン不在危機救う 「40―40」秒読み段階NHK中川安奈アナ、脇全開のノースリ姿!「日焼け跡」たまらん 半年ぶりインスタ更新「おひさしぶりです」パリ五輪バレー日本代表・山本智大、北海道庁を訪問 28年ロサンゼルス五輪へ「借りを返す」と代表活動継続を宣言「DayDay.」山里亮太、9月の自民党総裁選について「今ある問題がすべて解決するわけではない」今永昇太が5回1失点の粘投も援護なく10勝目はお預けに 2回の被弾が悔やまれる1球に【甲子園】青森山田は8強の壁に挑戦!きょう準々決勝で滋賀学園と激突J1磐田がJ2清水との練習試合に1―0で勝利 ペイショットがゴール