The Los Angeles Dodgers made one of the offseason’s biggest moves, but it could have been nixed weeks ago had there been evidence of a ‘handshake’ deal between the parties. Prior to officially authorizing the posting of right-hander Roki Sasaki by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball last month, Major League Baseball conducted a thorough investigation of both
As reported by Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times, this investigation aimed to ensure compliance with the existing protocol agreement and involved interviews with multiple parties.
Further details were provided by a joint report from The Athletic, which emphasized that the league’s primary focus was on the conduct of the Chiba Lotte Marines, rather than on Sasaki himself.
Los Angeles Dodgers, Roki Sasaki Deal Investigated

Both reports unequivocally state that the investigation uncovered no evidence to support rumors of any illegal arrangements.
Despite the MLB investigation finding no evidence of wrongdoing by any party, speculation regarding a potential handshake agreement between Roki Sasaki and the Los Angeles Dodgers persisted. This speculation prompted a strong denial from Joel Wolfe, Sasaki’s agent at Wasserman.
The Athletic’s report highlighted a sense of uncertainty among other MLB clubs throughout Sasaki’s posting process. Notably, teams like the Mariners and Red Sox were unable to secure meetings with the young pitcher, while large-market teams such as the Cubs, Yankees, and Mets successfully did so, despite suggestions that Sasaki might prefer to avoid the intense media scrutiny associated with those markets.
These contrasting experiences further fueled speculation about the potential factors influencing Sasaki’s decision-making process.
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Despite the prevailing uncertainty, it became evident earlier this week that Sasaki had narrowed his focus to three finalists: the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Diego Padres, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Each of these teams subsequently conducted in-person meetings with Sasaki in their respective cities and began to assemble their respective offers.
According to The Athletic’s report, the San Diego Padres demonstrated a unique approach, expressing their willingness to execute a trade to maximize their bonus pool and subsequently offer the entirety of those funds to Sasaki. The Los Angeles Dodgers did the same, reportedly finalizing a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies to acquire additional bonus pool resources specifically for the pursuit of Sasaki. While each team presented a compelling case, reports suggest that the Toronto Blue Jays were particularly aggressive in their pursuit of the young pitcher.