According to multiple sources, top international free agent Roki Sasaki met with the Toronto Blue Jays last week.

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6056160/2025/01/13/roki-sasaki-toronto-blue-jays-meeting/">The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough</a> were the first on the news. Sasaki is considered one of the top starting pitchers available this winter and across the globe, holding a 2.10 ERA through four seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s top league.
Rosenthal and McCullough’s report was <a href="https://x.com/ScottyMitchTSN/status/1878833686294176159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1878833686294176159%7Ctwgr%5E8fdfca7ebb8c958b28983548f7f70ac66f599bb0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tsn.ca%2Fmlb%2Fblue-jays-met-with-roki-sasaki-in-toronto-1.2234879">later confirmed</a> by TSN’s Scott Mitchell who was quoted as saying that the Jays “had a horse in the race,” based on what he’s heard.
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The 23-year-old Sasaki would be a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/the-many-reasons-why-the-blue-jays-need-to-sign-a-top-starting-pitcher">welcome addition</a> to the Jays rotation. Coming in at 6’2”, 187 pounds, his fastball averaged over 100 mph at the 2023 WBC but was down to a tick under 97 mph last season in Nippon Professional Baseball. His splitter was equally good, thrown at an average of 91 mph with solid break. The young pitcher’s mix is rounded out by a tight slider.
<h2>Sasaki met with the Blue Jays in Toronto</h2>
Additionally,<a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-had-meetings-with-prized-free-agent-roki-sasaki/"> an article written by Sportsnet&#8217;s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi</a> was posted on Monday morning. An interesting tidbit from this article noted that a video was shown to Sportsnet of a pitcher with a “Japanese-style delivery” spotted at the Rogers Centre throwing on a flat surface. The pitcher’s delivery supposedly looked identical to that of Sasaki’s.
As of now, the Jays are still not viewed as favourites. They appear to be behind the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The fact that the Jays have had a meeting this far into the process with Sasaki is a good sign though. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Signing Rōki Sasaki would instantly give the Blue Jays an ace <a href="https://t.co/dpx7i7n7hC">https://t.co/dpx7i7n7hC</a>
&mdash; Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1878918994721439867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Other top-caliber teams have been told they’re out as Sasaki’s team approaches a decision such as the <a href="https://x.com/JackCurryYES/status/1878888394060976626">New York Yankees</a> and <a href="https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/1878879154361565220?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">San Francisco Giants</a>. The <a href="https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/1878890148152393979?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">New York Mets,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/status/1878910817611186617">Texas Rangers</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/mikedeportes/status/1878914403590128110">Chicago Cubs</a> also appear to be out.
Whoever signs Sasaki will be getting him on a bargain of a contract. Since he didn’t wait until he turned 25 to sign with a team, he is not eligible for a major-league contract and instead must sign a minor-league deal with a team’s international bonus pool.
The Jays&#8217; bonus pool sits at $6,261,000, a <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-had-meetings-with-prized-free-agent-roki-sasaki/">middle-ground area</a> compared to other teams according to Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Sasaki can sign a contract starting on January 15th but has until a January 23rd deadline to make his final decision under MLB’s posting process rules.
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According to multiple sources, top international free agent Roki Sasaki met with the Toronto Blue Jays last week.



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6056160/2025/01/13/roki-sasaki-toronto-blue-jays-meeting/">The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Andy McCullough</a> were the first on the news. Sasaki is considered one of the top starting pitchers available this winter and across the globe, holding a 2.10 ERA through four seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s top league.

Rosenthal and McCullough’s report was <a href="https://x.com/ScottyMitchTSN/status/1878833686294176159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1878833686294176159%7Ctwgr%5E8fdfca7ebb8c958b28983548f7f70ac66f599bb0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tsn.ca%2Fmlb%2Fblue-jays-met-with-roki-sasaki-in-toronto-1.2234879">later confirmed</a> by TSN’s Scott Mitchell who was quoted as saying that the Jays “had a horse in the race,” based on what he’s heard.
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The 23-year-old Sasaki would be a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/the-many-reasons-why-the-blue-jays-need-to-sign-a-top-starting-pitcher">welcome addition</a> to the Jays rotation. Coming in at 6’2”, 187 pounds, his fastball averaged over 100 mph at the 2023 WBC but was down to a tick under 97 mph last season in Nippon Professional Baseball. His splitter was equally good, thrown at an average of 91 mph with solid break. The young pitcher’s mix is rounded out by a tight slider.
<h2>Sasaki met with the Blue Jays in Toronto</h2>
Additionally,<a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-had-meetings-with-prized-free-agent-roki-sasaki/"> an article written by Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi</a> was posted on Monday morning. An interesting tidbit from this article noted that a video was shown to Sportsnet of a pitcher with a “Japanese-style delivery” spotted at the Rogers Centre throwing on a flat surface. The pitcher’s delivery supposedly looked identical to that of Sasaki’s.

As of now, the Jays are still not viewed as favourites. They appear to be behind the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The fact that the Jays have had a meeting this far into the process with Sasaki is a good sign though. 

https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1878918994721439867

Other top-caliber teams have been told they’re out as Sasaki’s team approaches a decision such as the <a href="https://x.com/JackCurryYES/status/1878888394060976626">New York Yankees</a> and <a href="https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/1878879154361565220?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">San Francisco Giants</a>. The <a href="https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/1878890148152393979?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">New York Mets,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/status/1878910817611186617">Texas Rangers</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/mikedeportes/status/1878914403590128110">Chicago Cubs</a> also appear to be out.

Whoever signs Sasaki will be getting him on a bargain of a contract. Since he didn’t wait until he turned 25 to sign with a team, he is not eligible for a major-league contract and instead must sign a minor-league deal with a team’s international bonus pool.

The Jays' bonus pool sits at $6,261,000, a <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-had-meetings-with-prized-free-agent-roki-sasaki/">middle-ground area</a> compared to other teams according to Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith.

Sasaki can sign a contract starting on January 15th but has until a January 23rd deadline to make his final decision under MLB’s posting process rules.

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Report: Rōki Sasaki had a meeting with Blue Jays in Toronto; Yankees, Giants, and Mets appear out of the race

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