The Los Angeles Dodgers are no strangers to the talent coming out of Nippon Professional Baseball. Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto both came from NPB and were a big part of the Dodgers 2024 World Series title.

While drafting pitchers in free agency, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer predicted the Dodgers will spend their entire 2025 international signing bonus pool to land Rōki Sasaki from the Chiba Lotte Mariners.

“Sasaki should appeal to each teambut there’s also a very clear favorite to sign him,” Rymer wrote. “That would be the Dodgers. They’ve done a lot of research on Sasaki and can offer him what no other franchise can: a chance to play under a global brand that is already associated with fellow Japanese superstars in Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.”

Sasaki is an amateur free agent because he is not yet 25 years old. This means that to sign him, teams will only be able to use funds from their international signing bonus allocation. The 2024 term ends on December 15, and the Dodgers have $2.5 million in cap space leaving. However, when the 2025 window opens on Jan. 15, the Dodgers will have $5.1 million at their disposal.

The Dodgers $5.1 million is the least money available in 2025, along with the San Francisco Giants. Rymer predicted the Dodgers would spend all of $5.1 million to land Sasaki. They would have $1 million more if they hadn’t signed Ohtani, who declined a qualifying offer.

Every team has the money to sign Sasaki. However, the Dodgers can offer the opportunity to play with compatriots Ohtani and Yamamoto. Still comes with injury concerns.

“Strange timing and financing aside, Sasaki is extremely attractive based on his talent. He throws 100 mph with a devastating splitter and a nasty slider,” Rymer wrote. “He comes with durability concerns, especially after missing time with oblique and shoulder injuries in 2024. However, it presents a golden opportunity to cultivate a No. 1 starter for pennies on the dollar.”

The Dodgers will also have to pay a 20% posting fee to Chiba Lotte.

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