Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Chiba Lotte Marines may not post Roki Sasaki after the 2024 season.
Sasaki, 22, is widely considered one of the most talented pitchers in the world. Passan reports that the relationship between Sasaki and the Marines has become fractured after they didn’t honor his request last offseason, but that it’s just as possible — maybe even likely — that he’ll not be available again this winter. If Sasaki is posted, there will be numerous suiters for the right-hander, as he has the stuff to potentially pitch at the top of a rotation as soon as 2025.