Padres gain strength in Roki Sasaki chase as several top contenders eliminated

Right now, the San Diego Padres' options this offseason are dwindling. Between their existing payroll concerns as well as all of the ownership drama surrounding the team, the Padres simply aren't likely to make a major free agent signing or trade that is going to significantly add to their payroll without moves to cut spending elsewhere. However, one move that could save their offseason and not break the bank is signing Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki is sort of a best-case scenario for the Padres. He plays (extremely well) at a position of need with Joe Musgrove on the shelf, and with the international free agent label on him, Sasaki will cost a fraction of what he would normally receive in a normal free agent market. Teams will be limited by their bonus pools during the upcoming international free agent signing period.

The Padres have been among the favorites to land Sasaki for a while now, but basically every team in the league should be interested in signing him. A number of teams have met with Sasaki in recent weeks, and on Monday, word began spreading that the 23-year-old hurler was eliminating teams. For the moment, the Padres remain in the running.

Several of Padres' competitors for Roki Sasaki have been eliminated including the Yankees, Mets, and Giants

While the Los Angeles Dodgers sadly remain among the favorites to land Sasaki, it is nice to see the Padres sticking around as the field is narrowed down. Sasaki met with the Padres over the weekend which certainly helps their case. Sasaki can sign as soon as Wednesday, January 15 when international free agency opens and the current rumblings are that his free agency could be resolved this week.

The San Francisco Giants had a geographical edge over some competitors, but were told Sasaki wasn't signing with the team. San Francisco is probably an improved ball club heading into 2025, but they were considered long shots to add Sasaki this offseason. This announcement confirms that.

Both the New York Mets and New York Yankees getting eliminated is at least somewhat interesting. While not among the favorites, New York teams are always alluring for any free agent, including Japanese players given their marketing exposure. However, the hard-cap on spending eliminated some of those market advantages, with both teams appearing to be firmly out of the running.

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly met with Sasaki and haven't been publicly eliminated yet which leaves at least three teams among the final contenders. The Chicago Cubs have been mentioned a landing spot as well. We should know very soon how this is going to shake out and, for the Padres' sake, they really hope Sasaki decides to call San Diego home.

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