"This is just poor sportsmanship" - Roki Sasaki's agent fires back at 'nefarious' secret Dodgers deal accusation ahead of Japanese's MLB debut

Roki Sasaki is quickly becoming one of the most talked about men in baseball. Expected to be posted by his NPB team to pave a path to MLB, many pundits have placed the LA Dodgers as Sasaki's likely new home.

However, according to the New York Times, some MLB executives have been making claims of a 'nefarious deal' between Sasaki and the Dodgers, despite the fact that he has not officially entered free agency. Due to him being 23 years of age, Sasaki will be eligible as an international amateur free agent.

In response to these claims, Roki Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, slammed these rumors on Wednesday. The agent told The Athletic:

"“While a bunch of executives who should know me better and do a lot of business with me insult my integrity by insinuating that I would be a part of some type of nefarious agreement, in reality, this is just poor sportsmanship.”

People think that a deal between Sasaki and the Los Angeles Dodgers is likely for several reasons. Firstly, the Dodgers have been known to spend and committed over $1 billion to Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Moreover, Sasaki is friendly with both of his countrymen, driving further speculation of a deal in LA.

At the young age of 23, Sasaki has already solidified his reputation as one of the best pitchers in NPB. In 2024, the right-hander went 10-5, pitching to a 2.35 ERA. Moreover, last April, Sasaki tossed a perfect game and was credited with a world record 13 consecutive strikeouts in that game.

"102. Roki Sasaki is not messing around tonight" - FOX Sports: MLB

Among other contenders, the New York Yankees and New York Mets have also been identified as possible destinations. However, only time will reveal the nature of Sasaki's eventual selection.

No Roki Sasaki deal expected before January 15

According to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, Sasaki is expected to be part of next year's international signing class, beginning January 15. As insider Jon Morosi claimed on MLB Network:

"The posting window, which is will be 45 days, is likely to start sometime in the early part December, so that the 45 days stretches into that January 15 window."

The practice of NPB to MLB posting is a complex one to begin with. As rumors continue to swirl, it is likely that they are not productive should Sasaki desire to reach an educated decision for his future.