Sportscaster claims 23-year-old free agent ace is better than Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Corbin Burnes

Corbin Burnes is widely considered one of the best starting pitchers in the league, but MLB sportscaster Larry Krueger believes Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old ace from Japan, who is yet to play in the majors, is better.

During Wednesday's "The Krueger Show", the host hailed Sasaki a better starter than Burnes and LA Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who made his debut in the majors in 2024.

"The Giants are also really hot on the trail of this Japanese pitcher phenom, Roki Sasaki. Yeah, and Sasaki is way better than Burnes, I think," Krueger said (1:50 onwards). "I mean, Sasaki looks like just the best pitcher I’ve seen coming out of Japan. He's really, really good. He’s totally dominating. I think he’s probably better than Yamamoto. And Yamamoto was great.

"But here’s the deal on the Sasaki thing: it’s all about making him want to come here. It’s not about what they’re paying him because what they can pay him is peanuts compared to what his second contract is going to be. So it’s all about where he wants to live, what team he wants to be on, what environment he wants to be in."

Better for baseball if Giants land Roki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes, says Larry Krueger

The Giants-Dodgers rivalry is among the top three rivalries in MLB. However, over the last few years, the Giants have fallen off and struggled to keep pace with the Dodgers' star-studded roster.

Signing Roki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes could bring some balance to the iconic NL West rivalry, according to Larry Krueger.

"I think it’s better for baseball—like, way, way, way better for baseball—if it comes down to the Giants, Dodgers, or Padres for Sasaki," Krueger added. "I think it’s way better for baseball if he comes to the Giants. Obviously, I’m biased, but the Giants are an iconic franchise. The rivalry with the Dodgers is dormant right now because the Dodgers are so dominant.

"But if you could juice it up by putting Sasaki—a dominant Japanese phenom—in San Francisco opposite Yamamoto and Ohtani, with Corbin Burnes? Now we’re talking. Now, I’m not saying you’re beating the Dodgers, but at least it’s interesting. At least I’m watching it, you know?"

As the offseason unfolds, all eyes will be on the Giants to see if they can turn this into reality.