Cubs Reportedly Meeting with Rōki Sasaki Friday in LA
The Cubs are meeting with Japanese pitching phenom Rōki Sasaki in LA on Friday, per 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine. No word yet on whether Jed Hoyer recycled the hologram the Cubs brass used when courting Shohei Ohtani back in 2017 or whether they’ll try to convince Sasaki to visit Wrigley Field over the weekend to recreate Seiya Suzuki‘s pilgrimage. Some folks are worried that all of the recruitment meetings are taking place in the Dodgers’ backyard, but that’s just a matter of convenience for Team Sasaki.
Still, the gravitational pull of the defending World Series champions is impossible to deny. Not only have they spared no expense in building a roster that is expected to compete for annual titles, but they already have two Japanese superstars and boast a vibrant Asian culture. Whether Sasaki prefers celebrity or anonymity, he’ll be able to find it in Southern California. That also goes for the Padres, another presumed frontrunner whose appeal probably lies more with the quiet side.
The Cubs will have to lean heavily into their focus on player well-being and Chicago’s erudite Midwest feel that blends the height of culinary and artistic indulgence with a slower pace and hometown values. Suzuki and Shōta Imanaga can speak to the virtues of playing on the North Side without overshadowing their potential teammate, which could be a plus. And if it’s the soft landing of a smaller market Sasaki desires, Hoyer can pitch him on the idea that the Cubs want to act like the rest of their divisional opponents.
I have always considered the Cubs more of an also-ran in this race, albeit one with as strong a chance as any team other than the two mentioned above. They’ve always done a great job with these recruitment efforts and should be able to do so again, particularly considering how Sasaki’s youth may mean he’s not coming to MLB with a need to win immediately. Maybe he wants the ability to carve out his own niche and grow into stardom, something the Cubs can offer given their general lack of luminaries.
We’ll have to wait another four-ish weeks to find out where Sasaki is going since he can’t sign until January 15, so don’t hold your breath on any big reports just yet.