Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki is set to meet with MLB teams this week ahead of an expected January signing. Because the 23-year-old can only sign a minor-league deal, all 30 clubs are operating with an almost even playing field for recruiting. Here, we imagine each team's quick pitch to Sasaki.
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Arizona Diamondbacks: We think you can be one of the final pieces for us to not only get back to the playoffs, but finish the job. You and Zac Gallen atop our rotation could cause a lot of problems for the rest of the NL. Plus, you get to live in the warmth of Phoenix and pitch in a controlled environment.
Athletics: Your agent recently said a smaller market "could be more beneficial" for you. Well, it literally doesn't get smaller than West Sacramento! By joining us, you'll get the chance to pitch in a minor-league park in a temporary home city and market that we're not even pretending to care about, in front of citizens who don't want us there. The Athletics are the perfect team for you to work on your craft in peace and anonymity while awaiting your 2028 trade to a team that will pay you properly.
Atlanta Braves: We've suddenly got a large hole in our rotation, and you're the perfect fit to fill it. Our franchise has recent championship pedigree and a track record of getting the most out of pitchers. Just look at Chris Sale's Cy Young-winning renaissance. A rotation of Sale, Spencer Strider, you, and Reynaldo López is as good as anybody's - or even better.
Baltimore Orioles: In Baltimore, you'll work with Adley Rutschman, the best young catcher in baseball, and have several Gold Glove-caliber defenders playing behind you. But most importantly, you'll be the piece that we need to truly go toe-to-toe with the rest of the AL East. Come join our tremendously talented young squad in a baseball-mad city and help the Orioles reach their true potential.
Boston Red Sox: Imagine you and Garrett Crochet on the same staff. Pretty sweet, right? Well, we just traded for Crochet, and now we want you to join him in Boston. We're on the way back up after a couple of rough years, and we're ready to compete. If you help us win - and we know you can - you'll be a hero in New England forever. There's no better place in the majors than Fenway.
Chicago Cubs: Everything you need to be comfortable in Chicago is right here on the North Side. Your rotation-mate Shota Imanaga can not only tell you how great it is to pitch at Wrigley Field, he'll help you settle into life in our awesome city. Ditto for Seiya Suzuki. We've got one of the most popular managers in baseball, a new superstar in Kyle Tucker, and we think we're about to take charge of a very winnable division.
Chicago White Sox: Come to the South Side, where you'll get all the perks of living in Chicago with the anonymity of a small market you'll appreciate. You'll give our loyal fans, who've stuck with us for reasons we can't quite seem to understand, a reason to watch us. And look on the bright side: We set the modern-day loss record last year, so it can't get any worse, right? Right?
Cincinnati Reds: Here in Cincinnati, we've been quietly putting together a bright young roster with loads of potential. We just hired a future Hall of Fame manager, Terry Francona, who's worked with the likes of Pedro Martínez in the past and knows how to get the best out of a talent like you. With you and Hunter Greene atop our staff, the sky's the limit for our historic franchise. Take a chance on us.
Cleveland Guardians: The question isn't why should you come to Cleveland; it's why wouldn't you? Our organization is a pitching factory. We've turned plenty of live arms into absolute monsters over the past few years, and we're going to make you even better than you already are. Plus, we're coming off a surprising ALCS appearance, so you'll get to be the ace of a winner right away. And if you lead the Guardians to their first title since 1948, you'll be a legend forever.
Colorado Rockies: Japan has one of the most famous mountains in the world, Mount Fuji. We also have mountains in Denver. Our city is a great place to live, and you'll love pitching in altitude. Just, uh, please don't ask anyone who's ever pitched here about how great pitching in altitude is - you have to take our word for it. That's a sign of trust. Did we mention Denver is fun in the summer? God, we need a pitcher so badly. We'll give you a Nikola Jokic jersey if you sign here.
Detroit Tigers: Roki, think about how ridiculous of a duo you and Tarik Skubal would be at the top of our rotation. With you two wearing the "Olde English D," opponents don't stand a chance. Our surprising playoff berth last year showed how ahead of schedule we are, and you'll make sure we rule the AL Central for years. Comerica Park is perfect for a pitcher like you.
Houston Astros: No AL team has won more games over the past decade than us, and we're not ready to stop now. We also need young starting pitching desperately, and they don't come much better than you. You're going to be the next star we build around to keep us in contention for the next several years. Ask your old Marines teammate Dallas Keuchel about how great it is to win here in Houston.
Kansas City Royals: The rebuild is over, Roki. Here in Kansas City, we've got the next great superstar in Bobby Witt Jr. ready to play behind you at shortstop, and a future Hall of Fame catcher in Salvador Perez ready to guide you on the mound as you transition to life in the majors. You'll also get to pitch in Kauffman Stadium, one of the best pitcher's parks around. We're a smaller market that knows how to treat a superstar like you, and we're ready to win.
Los Angeles Angels: Hey Roki, remember us? You used to see our hats everywhere in Japan. We just signed a star Japanese pitcher already this winter, Yusei Kikuchi, and we're in the market for a second. That's you! We think you'll enjoy the next six years playing alongside Mike Trout and helping us return to the playoffs. And if it doesn't work out, don't worry - we'll give you permission to go play in the actual city of Los Angeles in six years.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Come on, do we have to explain this? We're the defending champions. You'll be teammates with the best player in the world on the best team in the world in the city of stars. You'll be a star in the U.S. and an even bigger star back home. The rules say we can't pay you a ton right now, but we'll give you the bag in a few years. You were born to wear Dodger blue, Roki.
Miami Marlins: We'll be honest with you: Right now, our team is going through a rebuild. But our starting pitching isn't terrible, and it would be even better with you on board. Plus, Florida has no state income tax, so you'll get to keep more of your money while you enjoy all that life in Miami offers. And hey, maybe we'll even unexpectedly make the playoffs one season. Or we'll trade you for no reason next winter. Roll the dice and join us.
Milwaukee Brewers: One thing to know about us is that we just find a way to win. Everyone wrote us off last year when we traded Corbin Burnes instead of paying him, and we went out and won the NL Central! With you in our rotation, we'll do it again in 2025 and beyond. Our franchise knows how to get the most out of pitchers, and we're going to make sure we do that for you. Milwaukee's the kind of small market that has everything you're seeking to start your career off right.
Minnesota Twins: The Twin Cities are perfect for you, Roki. We're a mix of a big market with the laid-back, quiet feel you seem to want. We're also always in contention because we play in the AL Central. Of course, things ended poorly last season, but with you on board that won't happen again. We can win with you.
New York Mets: Listen here: We're not the "other team" in town anymore. We just stole Juan Soto away from the Yankees, our pitching program is as good as it gets, and we're ready to win now. The only thing we're missing is an ace, and that's where you come in. You're the last piece of this puzzle here, Roki. We're about to own New York for a long, long time.
New York Yankees: Gerrit Cole, Roki Sasaki, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil. Is there a better rotation in baseball? Of course not. You know you want to be a Yankee. Baseball legends are made in pinstripes. Help us finish the job in October and etch your name in Yankees lore forever.
Philadelphia Phillies: Roki, forget what the Yankees just said about having the best rotation, because you're actually gonna find it in Philadelphia when you team with Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, among others. You're going to become one of the most popular athletes in a sports-mad city. And you'll be on a winning team, one that's hungry to flip the script in October - but we need you to help us get there and push us over the top in a tough division.
Pittsburgh Pirates: We already have Paul Skenes, the best young pitcher in MLB who's about to take it to the next level. A Skenes-Sasaki duo? Now that's downright scary. Our coaching staff, which now includes veteran pitching coach Brent Strom, will turn you into an even better pitcher and get the most out of your talent. Plus, you'll be part of the revitalized Pirates, and you'll be a hero in a great sports city that's dying to support a winner at PNC Park. You can help reshape an entire franchise.
San Diego Padres: Roki, we know how much Yu Darvish means to you. As a kid, you idolized him, and now you two are close friends. Come be his teammate on the Padres. You'll be joining a winning club that's ready to take the next step and bring a championship to San Diego, while you'll also be able to pick the brain of a good friend and teammate every day. Plus, you get to live in San Diego - and they don't call us "America's Finest City" for nothing.
San Francisco Giants: There are few better places for you to ease into major-league life than Oracle Park. Our stadium is a pitcher's paradise, giving you perhaps the best chance for instant success. You'll bolster an already solid rotation and give us an even better chance to knock off the hated Dodgers, which we haven't done in a few years.
Seattle Mariners: What's not to like about Seattle? Summers in the Pacific Northwest are awesome, we have a pitcher-friendly ballpark, and we're poised to take over the AL West. There's also our long history of Japanese stars on the Mariners, so you're joining a well-known brand back home. If you sign with us and make our underrated rotation even better than it already is, we'll be sure to get you some hitters and try to score you some runs.
St. Louis Cardinals: It's a transitional time for our proud franchise, so we can't promise you winning. But we can give you life in the best baseball town on Earth and a place as the foundational piece of the next great Cardinals teams. You'll allow us to shift into win mode a bit faster over the next few years. There's really nothing like wearing our uniform, so come experience it for yourself.
Tampa Bay Rays: If you care about your craft as a pitcher, come join us in Tampa. We have all the tools to develop you into the best pitcher in the game while quietly contending in a difficult division. You'll be in a minor-league park this year, but that's only out of circumstance. Our development system and track record speak for themselves.
Texas Rangers: We're two years removed from a title, and most of the major players are still here. We can give you a championship-caliber team, the chance to learn from some greats in fellow starters Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom, and a commitment to winning. Your friend Yu Darvish made his name here in Texas. Come follow in his footsteps and win with us.
Toronto Blue Jays: When you join the Blue Jays, you won't just be playing for a city: You'll be representing the entire country of Canada. That's a big responsibility, but it's one we know you're up for. On the field, you'll be lined up for success pitching in the newly renovated Rogers Centre with the best defense in baseball behind you. You shut them down, and we'll win 1-0 every five days.
Washington Nationals: Yes, we're asking you to join the long shots in what might be baseball's most difficult division. But here's the thing: We're on the way up. Here in Washington, we've been carefully putting together the future core of a winner. We've got a ton of tremendously bright young talent that's learning to win together, and you'll get us closer to that goal. It might not be in Year 1, but it will happen sooner than you think.