"Warm encouragement and tough love I've received will give me strength" - NPB phenom Roki Sasaki thanks Chiba Lotte Marines fans ahead of MLB move

The Chiba Lotte Marines held a send-off ceremony for NPB phenom Roki Sasaki at the ZOZO Marine Stadium on Sunday in Japan. Sasaki made a buzz in MLB after his posting news came to the fore. The team is scheduled to post the fireballer ahead of the December 15 deadline.

In the farewell ceremony, Sasaki thanked the Marines fans for their utmost support for him, albeit for a short time with the team. The young fireballer made his debut with Chiba in the 2021 NPB season and has appeared in 64 games for the Marines.

"[All of the] warm encouragement and tough love I've received will give me strength," Sasaki said.

In addition, Roki Sasaki also pledged to the Chiba Lotte Marines fans that he would deliver on the favor that the team did for him.

"I'll do my best in America," he added.

Sasaki owns a 29-15 record with an impressive 2.10 ERA in NPB. The Iwate native gained attention worldwide when he pitched the 16th perfect game in NPB history. In the historic feat, Sasaki recorded 13 consecutive strikeouts. He also set an NPB-record 19 strikeouts in a game during the process.

To be eligible for an international free-agent deal, a player must be at least 25 years old and have six years of professional experience, according to the MLB.

However, Sasaki did not meet either of these requirements. Thus, he will be classified as an international amateur free agent. As a result, Sasaki will be compelled to sign a minor league contract, with the Chiba Lotte Marines receiving a lower percentage of his release fee.

Roki Sasaki's request to be posted earlier than expected drew some criticism from Marines and NPB fans alike. This is due to the lesser value he will fetch and the Marines getting a minuscule return.

Roki Sasaki's free agency: Dodgers and Padres among teams looking to sign him

Dubbed "The Monster of the Reiwa Era" due to his dominance during the start of Emperor Naruhito's reign, Roki Sasaki has been in the middle of heavily contested sweepstakes before. Sasaki was selected as the first overall pick in the 2019 NPB Draft.

However, unlike drafts in American sports leagues, the NPB allows other teams to contest for draft picks. Four ball clubs immediately threw their hat in the lottery as the Chiba Lotte Marines, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and Saitama Seibu Lions vied for Sasaki's rights. The Marines were drawn, giving them the draft rights to the young sensation.

With the posting deadline coming ever so close, Sasaki is once again in the middle of a sweepstakes — this time among several MLB clubs. At the time of writing, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres are reportedly leading the race to land Roki Sasaki.