Roki Sasaki Hot Stove Rumors: Dodgers, Padres emerge as favorites while Red Sox not among initial teams meeting with Japanese phenom

The Roki Sasaki rumor mill has heated up over the last couple of weeks, with several teams, including the Boston Red Sox, interested in bringing over the next big Japanese free-agent arm.

Among the rumored teams to have met with Sasaki’s camp are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Red Sox.

While the consensus seems to point toward the Dodgers and Padres being the frontrunners to land the 23-year-old rising star, it seems that one notable big-market team could be out of the running.

According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Red Sox could be out of the running for Roki Sasaki. Cotillo noted an article from the Boston Globe in which Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow stated that the club did not have an invitation to negotiate with Sasaki, nor has a meeting been scheduled.

That situation seems to point toward the team falling behind in the race to sign Sasaki. While the lack of a meeting does not exclude the Boston entirely, it does not look good.

Cotillo cited sources with knowledge of the process, stating that teams that didn’t get a meeting with the Sasaki camp in December could get a meeting in January. However, there is no firm timeline for a deal to be made.

It remains to be seen if and when the Sox have a chance to make their pitch. The Red Sox have already acquired Garrett Crochet in one of the offseason’s biggest deals. Also, the team signed Walker Buehler to bolster their rotation.

Boston Red Sox could still be in the running to sign Roki Sasaki

The Dodgers seem like the likeliest destination for Sasaki. Last winter, the Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani. The presence of two significant Japanese players could entice the Sasaki camp to choose the Dodgers.

However, that situation does not necessarily exclude the Boston Red Sox. In Los Angeles, Sasaki may not have the chance to stand out like he would with another team. Therefore, Boston could allow Sasaki a better chance to turn his skills into a massive payday.

This point is crucial as Sasaki is under 25, and must contend with international bonus pool restrictions. He is entitled to a $5.15 million maximum contract and a $7.56 million signing bonus.

As a result, Sasaki could be compelled to seek a team that will better showcase his talents. A situation like that could allow Sasaki to translate his early success into a significant pay raise on his next contract.

In the meantime, Breslow was quoted by MassLive, stating:

“We have a long history of success in making a smooth transition and creating an environment where....Japanese pitchers can thrive.”

That sort of environment could be just what Roki Sasaki’s camp is looking for to give the Japanese phenom an opportunity to hit the ground running in North America.