The announcement Saturday that Roki Sasaki would be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines sparked excitement and stirred the Major League Baseball pot, as teams began considering their chances of signing the talented 23-year-old right-hander.

San Diego thinks it has a chance because of a mutual connection —Yu Darvish.

The Los Angeles Dodgers made headlines last winter by signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, quickly becoming Japan’s most popular MLB team. However, Sasaki developed a strong bond with Darvish during the last World Baseball Classic, one that could give San Diego a boost in its recruiting efforts.

According to MLB.com, The teams with the best chance of landing Sasaki are West Coast clubs and franchises with a history of recruiting Japanese players. In addition to the Dodgers and Padres, executives have mentioned the Giants, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Cubs and Rangers as possible suitors.

However, unlike last year’s high-stakes free agency, where Yamamoto landed a $325 million contract with the Dodgers, Sasaki’s pursuit won’t end in a nine-figure contract. This variation adds an intriguing element to the Hot Stove season.

"It’s not a Yamamoto situation," American League executive told MLB.com. “Money will not be the main issue when choosing a team.”

The reason is that players under the age of 25 with less than six years in a foreign major league fall under MLB’s international amateur signing bonus pool, which caps their contract amount.

Ohtani encountered a similar restriction in 2017, joining the Angels with a $2.315 million signing bonus. If Sasaki stays in the majors without going through the minors, he would be under team control through the 2030 season.

“Teams are going to have to sell themselves, not just write the biggest check. » » declared an AL executive. “The playing field may still not be level because not every team will have what they’re looking for, but the size of your payroll isn’t necessarily that important.”

Although every MLB team would welcome Sasaki into their rotation, executives believe the Dodgers and Padres are the favorites to secure him.

“It’s not really a two-horse race.” said a National League executive. “But these two landing points are probably the most logical.”