Sewald: Sasaki has 'top-5 stuff in the entire world'

Roki Sasaki hasn't pitched a game in Major League Baseball, but he's already receiving compliments from big leaguers.

"I would say that's top-five stuff in the entire world," free-agent closer Paul Sewald said of the young pitching phenom during an appearance on "Foul Territory."

"For those who haven't seen him, you're going to be wowed by his stuff."

Sewald, who has saved 84 games and struck out more than 10 hitters per nine innings throughout his career, knows a little bit about getting out big-league hitters.

Sasaki has been a major offseason talking point after the Chiba Lotte Marines announced the 23-year-old will be posted at some point this winter.

Eight teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and New York Mets, are reportedly showing early interest in the right-hander, who posted a 2.02 ERA and 11.4 K/9 in 414 2/3 innings over five seasons for the Marines.

Sewald, who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, hopes he winds up playing for whatever team Sasaki joins, mentioning a connection to Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto gives the Dodgers a strong avenue to sign him.

"We will see where he goes," Sewald, 34, said. "If I don't end up in L.A., I'm hoping he doesn't end up in L.A. as well because that would be quite the combination of a team that won the WBC (World Baseball Classic) ... I hope I'm on whatever team he goes to."