The Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball on Saturday announced that they will begin the process of transferring ace pitcher Rōki Sasaki to MLB via the posting system.

Marines general manager Naoki Matsumoto said the following in a statement.

"Ever since he joined the team, we have heard from him that he dreamed of playing in America. After making a comprehensive judgment over the past five years, we have decided to respect his wish. We hope he will do his best as a representative of Japan. We are rooting for him."

Sasaki, 23, is widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in the world. Armed with a four-seam fastball that routinely hits triple digits, a nosediving splitter and a slider, the 6'4" righthander dominated hitters in Japan to the tune of a 2.02 ERA and 524 strikeouts in 414 2/3 innings pitched.

Then, MLB hitters got their first taste of facing Sasaki in the spring of 2023 during the World Baseball Classic, which Sasaki's native Japan won.

Sasaki wowed fans with his fastball-splitter combo, making two starts for Japan and compiling a 1-0 record with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings pitched.

How does MLB's Posting System work?

Under current rules of NPB's posting agreement with MLB, the release fee, a sum of money the Marines will receive once Sasaki signs a deal with a big-league club, will depend upon the guaranteed value of his MLB contract. MLB clubs will have 45 days to negotiate with Sasaki after he is posted.

How much can Roki Sasaki earn in an MLB contract?

Plus, because Sasaki is not yet 25 years old, he will be considered an international amateur free agent, which will limit his earning potential, but also broaden his free agency market. MLB teams can use international bonus pool money to sign Sasaki to a minor-league contract, and he can then be added to the major league roster prior to the start of the 2025 MLB season.

"I am very grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post," Sasaki said in a statement. "There were many things that did not go well during my five years with the Marines, but I was able to get to this point by concentrating only on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, front office, and fans.

"I will do my best to work my way up from my minor contract to become the best player in the world, so that I will have no regrets in my one and only baseball career and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me."

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Japanese Star Roki Sasaki to Be Posted to MLB, Chiba Lotte Marines Announce.

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