Blue Jays check as Dodgers and Padres look to ante up on Roki Sasaki.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres looking into trading for International bonus pool funds. While the Toronto Blue Jays remain patient on Roki Sasaki.
International pool space is usually not considered a hugely valuable trade asset in general, though teams trying to amass extra money to complete a signing may think otherwise.
Clubs are permitted to trade from their bonus pools in increments of $250K, and teams are allowed to add to their pre-existing pools by as much as 60 percent of their original number.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2025 pool was reduced by $1MM due to their signing of Shohei Ohtani last winter, as Ohtani rejected the Angels' qualifying offer and the Dodgers were a luxury-tax paying team in 2023, which left Los Angeles with $5,146,200 to work with for this year's international class.
The Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres have a pool size of $6,261,600, giving them a bit extra to work with in terms of paying Sasaki, or spending on other int'l talents should Sasaki sign elsewhere.
Should all three teams trade for the maximum amount of extra pool space, the Dodgers would have approximately $8,223,920 to offer Sasaki, while Toronto and San Diego could offer him $10,018,560.
Some executives with knowledge of the International market predict Sasaki will make his decision first before giving the chosen team some time to acquire further bonus pool money (teams can increase the total value of their pools by 60 per cent).
In the Blue Jays' case, they could increase their allotment from $6,261,600 to $10,018,560.
The Dodgers have seemingly had three prospects walk away from agreed-upon deals, with Dominican shortstop Darell Morel, Venezuelan outfielder Oscar Pati�o and Dominican outfielder Teilon Serrano now set to sign with the Pirates, White Sox and Twins, respectively, according to reports.
Whether that exodus says anything about the Dodgers' confidence levels in landing Sasaki, would only be a guess.
Meanwhile the Blue Jays who have a verbal agreement with with highly regarded Dominican Shortstop Christopher Polanco, have yet to sign a deal with him.
Polanco had been set to headline their class before Sasaki became available to MLB teams.
Until Polanco and other Blue Jays recruits have formally signed, there's at least some risk that another team could poach them away from Toronto's farm system.
As noted earlier, Sasaki likely isn't going to base his decision on what will ultimately end up being pretty similar offers from his three suitors.
This could be why the Dodgers are apparently not yet pushing too hard to add to their pool space, as Sasaki might end up signing elsewhere anyway.
Toronto's selling points likely included: an initial video presentation; an in-person demonstration of the team's newly renovated clubhouse, training and recovery facilities in Toronto; emphasis on the Blue Jays' ability to develop pitchers like Robbie Ray, Steven Matz and Yusei Kikuchi at the MLB level; recruiting pitches from current Blue Jays staff and players and more.
Clearly, Sasaki's intrigued by the Blue Jays' pitch as they're the lone team outside of Southern California remaining.
Now he makes the biggest decision of his life - one that should have a massive, positive impact on whichever team he selects between now and Jan. 23.
Sasaki's agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, has said Sasaki's goal is to be an all-time great who ends up in baseball's Hall of Fame.
Hopefully that journey starts with the Blue Jays.
For all your current Toronto Blue Jays and MLB baseball news check out BlueJaysCentral.com on Facebook, X and Blue Sky.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 16 | 138 ANSWERS Blue Jays check as Dodgers and Padres look to ante up on Roki Sasaki. Who do you think Roki Sasaki will decide to sign with? | ||
![Blue Jays fans take to social media in disgust after latest let down. [Viewer Discretion Is Advised]](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/thumb/519135.webp "Blue Jays fans take to social media in disgust after latest let down. [Viewer Discretion Is Advised]")
