The Yankees may have missed out on Yamamoto, but they could set their sights on another Japanese superstar.
Last offseason, the Yankees offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto $300 million.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to acquire him and add him to their rotation, but the Bombers remain intrigued by the promising Japanese superstar who is preparing to enter the MLB next year. According to a report from Yahoo Sports, the Yankees and several other teams have sent scouts to evaluate Rocky Sasaki, who currently plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the JPPL.
Sasaki has been a wonder on the mound for years, displaying a triple-digit fastball and elite movement. He’s had some injury issues in the past, but a team looking for a great starter with a smooth transition to MLB could do well with the 22-year-old.
Last season, Sasaki appeared in 15 games, pitched 91 innings, allowed 51 hits, and struck out 135 batters for a 1.78 ERA. This is an unprecedented strikeout rate, and only one home run was allowed in that sample.
If Sasaki decides to take the plunge, the Yankees should do everything in their power to acquire him after missing out on Yamamoto. After all, they haven’t dabbled in the international pool in recent years, and Sasaki could be an ideal investment target.
In addition to the Yankees, the Mets, Cardinals, and Dodgers have also sent scouts to look for him (and have been looking for him for some time). The Dodgers already have Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto, so Sasaki could try to join a team that already has other Japanese players.
But if he wants to be a true ace, the Yankees could give him a chance to become a superstar in baseball’s biggest market. Of course, it would cost a lot of money to acquire Sasaki, as he would have to pay his current club just to acquire him. Juan Soto is also set to become a free agent, and the Yankees are already aware of his impact and will likely choose the 25-year-old outfielder over Sasaki. However, the idea that both players will be included in the squad for the opening game in 2025 cannot be ruled out. The Yankees’ rotation is strong with Gerrit Cole available, but with Gleyber Torres and Alex Verdugo also available as free agents, they will have to make some big financial decisions next offseason. They’ll need some young players to replace them, and several young outfielders have moved on, including Spencer Jones and Jason Dominguez. Assuming they let Torres go, if they can find a way to make up for the loss of Torres, the Yankees should have no hesitation moving forward.
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