MLB Rumors: Red Sox ‘Very Serious’ About International Phenom

The Boston Red Sox still have time this offseason to follow up on their acquisition of lefty Garrett Crochet, now directing their eyes toward another pitching target.

Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old Japanese standout, has drawn interest from teams across the league as the right-hander leaps from NPB to MLB. Sasaki is expected to begin meeting with teams in the coming days, giving organizations such as the Red Sox a chance to make their case before the international signing period — Jan. 15 to Jan. 23 — arrives. Boston, as expected, is in on Sasaki.

“In the AL, the Red Sox are very serious about making a pitch to the Sasaki team,” MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo wrote. “The main selling point might be the history of Japanese pitchers having success and positive experiences playing in Boston: Daisuke Matsuzaka, (Koji) Uehara and Junichi Tazawa. They have an impressive pitching development program and it certainly doesn’t hurt when the general manager, Craig Breslow, can speak directly to it (as opposed to just handing it off to ‘the experts’). Breslow also personally scouted Sasaki for one of his starts in Japan in September.”

Boston has had no shortage of free-agent pursuits, especially in the pitching department. The team was linked to Blake Snell, extended an offer to Max Fried before the left-hander signed with the New York Yankees and remains tied to Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty.

Sasaki amassed a 1.95 ERA across four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Two years ago, as a 20-year-old, Sasaki became the youngest player to throw a perfect game in NPB history by striking out 19 batters. He even pitched for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, joining current MLB countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida amid the team’s championship run — and recorded a 3.52 ERA in two appearances.

Many project Sasaki becoming a top-of-the-rotation arm, featuring an impressive ability to hit 100 mph from the mound alongside a lethal splitter. Sasaki went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA last season in Japan, striking out 129 while walking 32 across 111 innings pitched. Of course, as has been the case for any enticing free-agent pitcher this offseason, the Red Sox will have competition amid their chase.

The American League East rival Yankees made their involvement in the Sasaki sweepstakes clear as day. During Wednesday’s press conference introducing Fried at Yankee Stadium, New York general manager Brian Cashman announced the franchise secured a meet-and-greet with Sasaki, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. New York followed up its Fried signing by acquiring first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Breslow and the Red Sox are now on the clock to put their pitch together before Sasaki makes his much-anticipated decision.