Tigers Rumors: Detroit has advantage in Roki Sasaki free agency sweepstakes

The Detroit Tigers are in need of starting pitching this offseason, but it appears they aren't willing to jump into the deeper end of the spending pool. But ... might they be able to get an ace-like arm for a fraction of the price?

On Saturday, NPB's Chiba Lotte Marines announced that Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki would be posted to be signed by an MLB team this offseason. Sasaki first rose to international attention during last year's World Baseball Classic as Team Japan's ace, but he pitched a perfect game when he was just 21 years old and holds a world record for most consecutive strikeouts in a single game (13).

Sasaki has reportedly been at odds with the Marines about his posting to MLB for a few years, but the team's incentives to hang onto him still far outweigh their incentives to let him go. Because he's still under 25, he's only eligible to be posted as an amateur free agent, which will only allow him to sign at league minimum with a bonus from the signing team's allotted international money.

Eyes have immediately turned toward the Dodgers as the favorites to sign Sasaki; they've scouted him since he was in high school, and two of his Samurai Japan teammates just won the World Series in their first year as Dodgers.

However, new rumors indicate that Sasaki may be looking for something different in free agency. Jim Allen, an NPB reporter, said that he could be inclined to listen to offers from smaller-market teams with solid development plans. After all, the amount of money he can make is limited, so the Dodgers can't use their financial strength to their advantage.

The Tigers need starting pitching next season, and they just worked some magic on Jack Flaherty to help him recover a lot of his value for another trip to free agency this year. There's absolutely no reason why the Tigers shouldn't be knocking on Sasaki's door this offseason.

Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki should be a target for Tigers in free agency

Because Sasaki can only make so much money in amateur free agency, he can't be swayed by a massive contract like a traditional free agent. If money still is a factor, then the Tigers could offer him the absolute maximum. The 2024 international free agent period this season ends on Dec. 15, and the 2025 window opens up again on Jan. 15. The Tigers currently have over $2 million left over during this signing period, but if Sasaki waits for the next one, the Tigers will have $7,555,500 to dangle in front of him.

They also have a Japanese player of their own who could help their argument. Although Kenta Maeda is coming off of a career-worst season during which he was demoted to the bullpen, it seems like the Tigers are going to stick with him through the duration of his contract. Maeda was a star in NPB before he made his MLB transfer; he won the Triple Crown in 2010 and was a five-time NPB All-Star.

The Tigers have no excuse not to be in on Sasaki. If he really is looking for a good small-market team to develop with (and money isn't an issue), the Tigers are right there, and they'll at least have a little more money to offer him than most of the league.