Latest News on Japanese Sensation Roki Sasaki Brings Hope for Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have no money to spend this offseason. In fact, they have negative money and need to trade talent away, in order to even attempt any kind of move that would generate buzz around the league. Well… that’s not completely true.

There is one free agent available for pennies on the dollar, and he’s the type of starting pitcher that would immediately slot into the top of the Twins’ rotation. And not only would he provide desperately needed support on the field, but he’d also bring a fanfare to Target Field unlike anything we have ever seen before.

That player is Japanese phenom, Roki Sasaki, who can only sign a minor league deal with his first MLB team. At just 23 years old, Sasaki is the latest Japanese superstar, coming over to the MLB early, as an international free agent.

Because Roki Sasaki is limited to bonus pool restrictions, the maximum contract he can sign is for just over $12 million. That’s a lot more than what Shohei Ohtani’s first major league deal was worth, with the Los Angeles Angels, at $2.3 million.

But in today’s MLB, $12 million can be found in the couch cushions of any major pro sports facility in America, especially for what Sasaki is expected to bring on the field, for whoever he chooses to sign with. Even the cheap Pohlads wouldn’t let that kind of money in between them and the value Sasaki would add to the sale cost of the Minnesota Twins.

Agent provides hope for Minnesota Twins chances at landing Roki Sasaki

Still, as of Tuesday morning, most around the MLB expected Sasaki to choose a west coast team, and a path to stardom already paved by Ohtani. That was until his agent, Joel Wolfe, spoke with media members at Winter Meetings and revealed an issue his client has had with pressure, over in Japan, going as far as to say “it might be beneficial for [Sasaki] to be in a smaller market”.

Media coverage in Japan has been challenging for Sasaki per Wolfe:
“There’s been a lot of negativity directed toward him … it’s been very detrimental to his mental state”

Sasaki hasn’t closed doors, but possible “it might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market”

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 10, 2024

Money isn’t going to be a primary factor for Sasaki. If it becomes a differentiating factor, that’s good for a team like Minnesota, who is in a group that could offer him the most. More than anything though, it will be on Derek Falvey to bring haymakers when meeting with Wolfe.

Related: Minnesota Twins Might be Able to Pay Roki Sasaki More Than Most MLB Teams

In four Nippon Professional Baseball seasons with Chiba Lotte, Rosaki owns a 2.10 ERA. His 0.894 WHIP is ridiculous and he has struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings in nearly 400 frames of action.

102.

Roki Sasaki is not messing around tonight 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/yIP4FHjCbh

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 20, 2023

Sasaki pitched a pair of games for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and gave up just three earned runs with an 11/2 K/BB across 7 2/3 innings. Aside from Ohtani, he was the best arm on the team. Strapped for cash, there is no avenue for the Twins to get better in a more financially responsible avenue than by adding Sasaki.

Why would Roki Sasaki pick Minnesota?

Don’t let me kill your optimsm, but it’s still highly unlikely the Minnesota Twins actually land Roki Sasaki, in the end. That said, this is more of a level playing field for a team like the Twins, than any shot they had at landing a free agent like Juan Soto… or really anyone who would get fans excited for the upcoming season.

Joel Wolfe, the agent for Roki Sasaki, says Sasaki “has paid attention to how teams have done as far as overall success both this year and in years past. He does watch a lot of major-league baseball.”

Sasaki asks questions about weather, comfortability and pitching development.

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 10, 2024

It wasn’t that long ago, the Twins were involved late into the process on Shohei Ohtani, before they ultimately lost out, and traded their bonus pool money to the Seattle Mariners. The Twins will have one chance to make a first impression. If Falvey & Co can nail that encounter, then who knows what could happen.

Related: Minnesota Twins Sign Familiar Starting Pitcher to Compete for Rotation Spot

After this latest news, Falvey should be in the pocket of Roki Sasaki’s agent, the rest of his time down in Dallas, at the MLB Winter Meetings. Until he is told, ‘leave us alone, Roki is not coming to Minnesota’ he should be trying to convince them that the Twins are THE small market team he wants to land with.

Something GMs may want to take note of on Sasaki: “He doesn’t necessarily love people who are verbose,” according to Wolfe, who describes the pitcher as witty and particular.

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 10, 2024