"The Yankees thought they had realistic shots at Shohei Ohtani too" - MLB insider shares latest on Roki Sasaki's Bronx possibilities

Japanese starting pitcher Roki Sasaki is one of the top free agents of this off-season, and he still remains unattached to any team thus far.

MLB analyst Bryan Hoch believes the New York Yankees have a legitimate chance of signing Roki Sasaki, provided that the geographical location of the team is not an issue for the players. He said the Yankees felt similarly about Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto when the pair were free agents last off-season as they have a strong reputation with Japanese superstars in the past.

Bryan Hoch covers the New York Yankees for MLB Network. He gave his thoughts on their pursuit of Roki Sasaki while appearing as a guest on SNY this Tuesday.

"The Yankees thought they had realistic shots at [Shohei] Ohtani and [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto, too." Hoch said. "I think that if there is not a geographical preference here, we've all heard the Padres, maybe the Dodgers, the West Coast; if that's not in play here, the Yankees feel like they put together a good performance over the year, and they've really laid it out.

"They've had a history of Japanese players that have come to the Yankees and enjoyed their time there, [and] have been really recognizable stars in New York," he continued. "If you want to be in a major market, that might be the place for you."

Seven Japanese superstars have donned the famous pinstripes over the years. Starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and outfielder Hideki Matsui enjoyed memorable spells in the Bronx while Ichiro Suzuki also represented the team in the latter stages of his illustrious career.

Bryan Hoch feels New York press could deter Roki Sasaki from joining the Yankees

Roki Sasaki won the 2023 World baseball Classic with Japan (Image Source: Imagn)

MLB Network insider Bryan Hoch believes the pressure generated by the New York sports media might prevent Roki Sasaki from deciding against signing for the New York Yankees. Hoch feels a statement from Sasaki's agent indicates that the young pitcher would not want to be in the constant limelight of the Bronx and would instead prefer the environment of a smaller market team.

"One thing that gives me pause, though, is his agent talking about how a smaller market [is appealing for Sasaki], he said. "The [New York] media may not be a good fit for him."

Sasaki is a two-time NPB All-Star in his native Japan and threw a perfect game in October 2022. The 6' 4" right-hander possesses a fastball topping out at over 100 miles per hour, while his pitching repertoire also consists of a forkball, a curveball and a slider.