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Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Making Big Push in Roki Sasaki Chase

With the deadline for Sasaki to sign, the two National League West rivals are battling it out to the very end.
Brady Farkas|
Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park in 2023.
Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park in 2023. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles DodgersSan Diego Padres

The International Signing Period opened up on Wednesday and as teams lined up their future top prospects, Roki Sasaki remained unsigned.

The 23-year-old Japanese future ace has come to the United States after being posted by his Nippon Professional Baseball team, and because he's yet to turn 25, he's only eligible to be signed through the international signing system.

His posting window ends on January 23rd, meaning that he has one week to sign with a team. He's reportedly narrowed his three choices down to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, though the Dodgers and Padres are viewed as the heavy favorites.

And according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the two National League powers are jockeying for position as the deadline nears.

According to sources, both the Dodgers and Padres have been calling teams with regard to trading for international bonus pool money with the hopes of bulking up the amount they can offer Roki Sasaki. @ByJackHarris was first to report the Dodgers’ interest in adding to their pool.

Feinsand also says other non-Sasaki suitors are trying to get more money. The Dodgers and Padres have been inactive in the rest of the international market as they wait for Sasaki, so there are other opportunities available for teams to make moves.

The Dodgers are already viewed as the World Series favorites after winning in 2024, and that's only enhanced after signing Blake Snell. If they got Sasaki, they'd have him, Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani.

The Padres would pair Sasaki with Yu Darvish, Michael King and Dylan Cease. Joe Musgrove is out for the year with Tommy John surgery.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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