"Holy f*ck it's happening"; "Could be visiting Shohei Ohtani" - Fans speculate Dodgers signing Roki Sasaki as he visits LA ahead of 2025 season

Roki Sasaki's posting to the MLB has thrown all teams into a frenzy. A number of teams are interested in signing the young Japanese pitcher who could become one of the biggest international stars in the majors.

Coming out of Japan at 23 years old, Roki Sasaki will not be able to sign a professional contract. As an amateur foreign player, the only way to sign him would be through the international bonus pool. The signing period for 2024 will end on Sunday, and the next window will start from Jan. 15.

As per MLB's posting rules, a player has a 45-day period to sign. This leaves Sasaki with a small window. Till then, negotiations will start with all the organizations presenting their bid.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly one of the favorites to land the young flamethrower, whom they have scouted from a young age.

He was spotted in Los Angeles this week and fans speculated that he has made his choice.

"I mean could be visiting Ohtani," a fan said.

"Holy f*ck it’s happening," another fan wrote in excitement.

"He probably already picked out his place already," a hopeful fan commented.

"He’s just trying to get comfortable with LA since this will be his home soon. Cmon people get with it. Dude already told my friend he’s coming here! I said this a long time ago!!" another fan said.

"He is a Dodger," a fan concluded.

But fans were also aware of the fact that Roki Sasaki's agent Joel Wolfe's office is in Los Angeles and the pitcher could have stopped there to discuss his future.

"His agent is based in LA. Makes sense, right?," a fan wrote.

"I mean his agent’s office is in LA. Wolfe also lives in LA. I’m pretty sure he got him set up near him. Not a big deal," a user's reply read.

Roki Sasaki's agent wants him to think of longer-term implications of signing with a team

As per Joel Wolfe, the advice to his client is to look for a sustainable destination so that after two years when he turns 25 and is able to sign a professional contract, he reaps the rewards:

“Given that the gap in bonus pool amounts is so negligible, my advice to him is: don’t make decisions based on that. The long-term arc of your career is where you’re going to earn your money, so it’s probably not advisable to make a short-term decision in that regard. Take all the factors into consideration."

If recent history is an indicator then the Los Angeles Dodgers is the correct destination for anyone looking to make money in the longer run. If Sasaki joins Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it will make for a formidable rotation that also has the likes of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.