Inside The Mets

Mets Among Top Teams in Play to Sign International Superstar

The New York Mets are considered "significant players" to sign a potential Cy Young Award candidate.
Grant Young|
Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Mar 26, 2022; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; The New York Mets logo stands in center field before the game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

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New York MetsLos Angeles Dodgers

On December 5, SNY's Andy Martino explained he believes the New York Mets won't pursue Corbin Burnes in free agency this offseason.

"Stearns has confidence that his group can find the right starting pitchers to hit on. They know they're not going to hit on every single one, but they're also not going to pay top dollar for guys — whether it's a Severino, probably a Corbin Burnes, or anybody else. It's just not their philosophy," he said, per SNY.

This might not be what Mets fans want to hear. However, there's a Cy Young-caliber starter expected to become available in the coming days that can be acquired at a bargain price.

"Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is expected to be officially posted at Major League Baseball's winter meetings next week," ESPN insider Jeff Passan wrote in a December 7 article.

"Sasaki, 23, is widely regarded as one of the world's most talented pitchers.... Because MLB rules dictate that foreign professionals under 25 years old and with fewer than six years' experience must sign as international amateurs, Sasaki's contract will be for a fraction of what he would receive as a major league free agent," he continued.

"In the capped international-amateur system, the top bonus pools are around $7.5 million and the bottom around $5.1 million, with a team able to trade for up to an additional 60% of its pool money."

Passan went on to discuss Sasaki's dazzling resumé, writing, "With a triple-digit fastball, arguably the best split-fingered fastball in the world and a slider, his quality and array of pitches is among the game's best. With the Marines this year, Sasaki went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA, 129 strikeouts, 32 walks and two home runs allowed over 111 innings. Over the course of his four-year career, Sasaki is 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts against 88 walks in 394⅔ innings."

While Passan noted that the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be favorites to sign Sasaki, he also wrote, "Among the other teams expected to be significant players in the Sasaki sweepstakes: the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants."

The Mets have some stiff competition in the Sasaki sweepstakes. But given the low price tag he'll come with, it's easy to see why they would be all-in when trying to acquire him.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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