• Roki Sasaki was expected by many to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were right.
• The flame-throwing right-hander from Japan agreed to a deal with the Dodgers on Friday, according to a post on his Instagram account.
• The Dodgers beat out basically all of MLB for Sasaki, who met with several teams to evaluate what they could bring to the table beyond money. The Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were reported to be the finalists, with the Dodgers and Padres seen as the co-favorites for most of the process.
• After receiving the signing bonus, Sasaki will have the same status as any other MLB rookie once he makes his debut, going through pre-arbitration and arbitration years before he hits free agency after six years of MLB service time.
• Meanwhile, Sasaki’s NPB team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, will receive a posting fee worth 20% of the signing bonus. In four seasons with the Marines, Sasaki posted a 2.02 ERA and 0.883 WHIP with 524 strikeouts in 414 2/3 innings.
• Read more here.
• The 31-year-old Leclerc has pitched eight seasons in MLB, all with the Texas Rangers. In 2024, he made 64 appearances, striking out 89 batters and recording a 4.32 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 66 2/3 innings pitched.

Right-handed reliever José Leclerc and the Athletics are in agreement on a one-year, $10 million contract, sources tell ESPN. First with the agreement was @ByRobertMurray.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 17, 2025

• The New York Mets keep growing their bullpen, adding left-handed reliever A.J. Minter on Friday, per multiple reports. Minter and the Mets agreed on a two-year, $22 million deal that includes an opt-out in the first season.
• Minter, who spent the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Atlanta Braves, threw 35 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings for the Braves last season, recording a 2.62 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

The #RedSox today signed OF Jarren Duran to a one-year contract for the 2025 season, with a club option for 2026.

Boston has no remaining players eligible for salary arbitration.

— Red Sox (@RedSox) January 17, 2025

Outfielder Jarren Duran and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $3.85 million deal that includes a club option for $8 million in 2026, sources tell ESPN. The deal avoids an arbitration hearing, where the Red Sox had filed at $3.5 million and Duran at $4 million.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 17, 2025

• Per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, Toronto also received $2 million in international bonus signing pool space in the trade, indicating they could still be in on Roki Sasaki.

OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired OF Myles Straw, cash, and international bonus signing pool space for the 2025 period from the Guardians in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

Straw won the Gold Glove Award in 2022. pic.twitter.com/QdhqH8b6ON

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 17, 2025

• The Padres are reportedly beginning to focus on other international free agents, indicating that they could be out on prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki.

Breaking News: The Cubs and OF Kyle Tucker have agreed on a $16.5 mil contract for 2025, sources tell ESPN. The sides avoid an arbitration hearing and Tucker will be in Chicago for the team’s fan convention this weekend.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 16, 2025

• The New York Mets are bringing back Jesse Winker for another year, signing the 31-year-old outfielder to a one-year deal that is reportedly worth up to $9 million. Winker joined the team in July 2024 via trade from the Washington Nationals and was a key part of the team’s postseason run.
• The move also hints at the Mets’ tactics on first baseman Pete Alonso, who is one of the top free agents this offseason. With talks to bring back Alonso stalled, and with the first baseman reportedly receiving significant interest from other teams, re-signing Winker might be a signal that the Mets are not expecting Alonso to return and are starting to look at other options.

The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Michael Arias from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 15, 2025

• The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are down to just three teams: the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays. According to The Athletic, the Dodgers are getting one more meeting with Sasaki on Tuesday, which will reportedly involve “several of their star” players.
• The international signing period opens on Wednesday, at which point Sasaki will have eight days to sign with a team.

Source says Cubs have been informed they are out on Roki Sasaki

— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) January 13, 2025

• The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes is down to just three teams. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays are the three finalists to land the Japanese star once the international signing period opens on Wednesday. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, we should have his decision shortly.

The finalists for Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN. Sasaki will decide on his team by the closing of his posting window Jan. 23.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 13, 2025

• With the international signing period opening Wednesday, Roki Sasaki is narrowing down his options. His camp has reportedly informed the Mets and Rangers that he will not be signing with them.

The Mets have been told they are out on Roki Sasaki.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 13, 2025

Roki Sasaki has informed Rangers he will be signing elsewhere, per person familiar with process.

— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) January 13, 2025

Source: The Yankees have been told Sasaki will not be signing with them.

— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) January 13, 2025

Giants have been told Sasaki is not coming to SF.

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) January 13, 2025

• According to a report from The Athletic, the Blue Jays hosted prized free agent Roki Sasaki for a meeting in Toronto ahead of his impending signing deadline.
• The international signing period opens Wednesday, at which point Sasaki is free to sign with an MLB team. He has until Jan. 23 to make his decision. The Dodgers, Rangers, Cubs, Mets, Padres and Mariners are also believed to be in the running for Sasaki’s services.
• López had an eventful 2024 season, as he was DFA’d by the New York Mets after he was ejected from a game and threw his glove into the crowd.
• He moved on to the Chicago Cubs and had a solid finish to the 2024 season, recording a 2.03 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 26 2/3 innings pitched with the Cubs.