SF Giants "maybe" still in the mix for star NPB pitcher

Are the SF Giants still in on star NPB pitcher Roki Sasaki? The answer might surprise you. Jim Bowden of The Athletic lists the Giants as "maybe" still in the mix for Sasaki.

SF Giants "maybe" still in the mix for star NPB pitcher

Admittedly, the wording is funny for a report. Bowden lists the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and New York Mets, and Texas Rangers as other teams that is still involved. He does definitively rule out the Chicago White Sox.

Of course, the Dodgers and Padres have long been considered the favorites to land Sasaki. The Dodgers have had plenty of success recruiting players from the Pacific Rim in recent years and Sasaki is close with Padres starter Yu Darvish.

However, the Giants remain in the mix along with several other big-market cubs. They will face an uphill battle because they do not have the financial advantage.

The Giants along with the Dodgers have the smallest international bonus pool at $5.1 million. This is due to the team signing Matt Chapman and Blake Snell last offseason. Both players rejected a qualifying offer, so the Giants lost $500,000 apiece.

That said, Sasaki is likely to be motivated by more than just money. He chose to have the Chiba Lotte Marines post him this offseason, making him eligible for international free agency rather than waiting a couple of years to be declared an MLB free agent. This decision will cap his signing bonus to be within the pools that each team is allotted. Given this, the Giants, and other suitors, will need to sway Sasaki on qualitative factors such as whether they are a good fit.

For what it is worth, the Giants' home ballpark is one of the best stadiums for pitchers. Plus, they have a couple of reigning Glove Glove recipients in Matt Chapman and Patrick Bailey. Being a good environment for pitchers is a starting point.

However, they will face stiff competition. After missing out on Corbin Burnes, it does feel like a lot of the Giants' success this offseason will hinge on the unlikely odds that they land Sasaki.

That is an uncomfortable position to be in. If the Giants miss out on Sasaki, the best alternative in free agency is Jack Flaherty. The veteran pitcher is coming off of a strong 2024 campaign where he pitched to a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts.

Flaherty does not have a qualifying offer attached but he is seeking a big payday after a solid season. That could prove to be a risky investment given that he has not demonstrated the type of durability or track record for the type of deal he is seeking.

On the other hand, Sasaki is coming off of an excellent 2024 season as he pitched to a 2.35 ERA in 18 starts for the Marines. Sasaki's posting window runs through January 23, 2025.