The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are almost over. Multiple teams have reportedly been informed that they will not be signing the right-handed pitcher, and now ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the Dodgers, Padres, and Blue Jays are the final three contenders. The Cubs are no longer in the race, as Mike Rodriguez and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic confirm they have been notified of their status.
It appears that today was the day Sasaki and his representatives began informing teams they were no longer in contention. Earlier reports indicated that the Giants, Yankees, Mets, Rangers, and Diamondbacks had also been eliminated. The Mariners, who had been loosely linked to Sasaki, weren’t specifically ruled out but ultimately did not make the cut for the top three.
