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Roki Sasaki declines offers from Yankees, Rangers, or Giants

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NEW YORK — The New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants have been informed that Roki Sasaki, the talented Japanese pitcher, will not be signing with their teams.

During a news conference held Monday to introduce Justin Verlander, Giants general manager Zack Minasian confirmed that San Francisco is officially out of the running for Sasaki’s services.

Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Sasaki has decided to eliminate both the Yankees and the Rangers from consideration. These individuals chose to remain anonymous as Sasaki has not publicly declared his plans to sign elsewhere. The YES Network first reported the news regarding the Yankees’ status.

The competition to acquire the 23-year-old right-hander appears to be heating up, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres emerging as strong contenders. The Toronto Blue Jays are also mentioned as a potential destination for Sasaki.

According to the rules governing international amateur signings and the posting system between Major League Baseball and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Sasaki will have the opportunity to sign with an MLB club from 9 a.m. EST Wednesday until 5 p.m. EST on January 23.

Due to Sasaki’s age and his lack of a full six-year tenure in NPB, he is categorized as an international amateur player. This means he will be limited to a minor league contract that falls under international signing bonus pools, which vary from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200. Starting Wednesday, MLB teams can engage in trades to expand their signing bonus pool by up to 60% of their initial amount.

Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, has not disclosed which teams are being considered for his client. However, reports suggest that Sasaki has also met with representatives from the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Sasaki is known for his impressive fastball that can reach speeds exceeding 100 mph. His performance last season showcased his talent, as he boasted a record of 10-5 and achieved a 2.35 ERA over 18 games while striking out 129 batters in 111 innings, despite being hindered by shoulder inflammation. Over four seasons with the Marines—although cut short by injuries—he has compiled a career record of 29-15 with an impressive 2.10 ERA.