Marlins not among finalists to sign Japanese star Roki Sasaki

You will likely have an opportunity to watch Japanese fire-baller Roki Sasaki pitch at loanDepot park this season, but he'll be doing so as a Marlins opponent. Several reporters, including ESPN's Jeff Passan, have identified the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and (somewhat surprisingly) Toronto Blue Jays as finalists to sign the 23-year-old right-hander. Sasaki's deadline to finalize a deal is a week from Thursday.

As detailed way back in November, Sasaki is the rare major league-ready, All-Star-caliber free agent that the Marlins could have actually afforded. Due to his age, Major League Baseball classifies him as an international amateur, limiting his earnings to what teams have available in their 2025 international bonus pools. The Marlins have $7,555,500 in their pool, tied for the largest among all MLB teams during the signing period that officially opens on Wednesday. Alas, there is no indication that they had the recruiting appeal to even get a meeting with him during this process.

Sasaki pitched in Miami during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, representing his native Japan (the eventual tournament champions). The Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays each visit loanDepot park for a series in 2025 during May, July and August, respectively.

The vast majority of the Marlins' bonus pool has instead been committed to a more traditional sort of international free agent: projectable teenagers from Latin America. They're expected to announce more than a dozen signings on Wednesday, including Venezuelan outfielder/infielder Andrew Salas ($3.7 million bonus), Dominican right-hander Kevin Defrank ($560,000) and Dominican infielder Anthony Abreu ($550,000). Fish On First will be bringing you detailed coverage of those additions to the organization.