DALLAS °®¶¹app Hard-throwing Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki was posted to Major League Baseball teams and will be available to sign as a free agent from today through 5 p.m. on Jan. 23.
The Chiba Lotte Marines said Nov. 9 that they planned to make the 23-year-old Sasaki available but waited until less than a week before the end of the posting period.
Because he is 23, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and is limited to a minor league contract subject to the international signing bonus pools usually allocated for 16-year-old Latin American prospects. The 2024 signing period ends Sunday and the 2025 period opens on Jan. 15, with team pools ranging from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200.
Teams may trade for additional pool allotment in $250,000 increments starting Jan. 15 but are limited to adding 60% of their initial amount.
Chiba will receive a posting fee from the acquiring MLB team equal to 25% of the signing bonus.
When Shohei Ohtani agreed to join the Los Angeles Angels in December 2016 at age 23, he received a $2,315,000 signing bonus. Ohtani had salaries of $545,000, $650,000 and $259,259 (in pandemic-shortened 2020) during his first three seasons, earned $3 million, $5.5 million and $30 million in his three years of arbitration eligibility and then agreed to a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season.
Sasaki is represented by Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group and is expected to become one of the on the market. He went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings.
Sasaki helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His fastball has been clocked at 102.5 mph, and he has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four injury-shortened seasons with the Marines. He pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022 °®¶¹app racking up 13 straight strikeouts and finishing with 19.
Cobb, Tigers agree to deal
The Tigers have added Alex Cobb to their rotation, agreeing to a one-year contract with the veteran right-hander.
Cobb, 37, joins a rotation fronted by AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
Venable keeps
Sizemore on staff
Grady Sizemore is staying with the White Sox, serving as the offensive coordinator under first-year manager Will Venable.
Sizemore was elevated to interim manager when Chicago fired Pedro Grifol in August. The former big league outfielder guided the team to a 13-32 record down the stretch as the White Sox went 41-121 to break the post-1900 major league record for losses in a season.
The White Sox announced Sizemore and the rest of the team°®¶¹apps coaches. Also sticking around from the 2024 staff; pitching coach Ethan Katz, hitting coach Marcus Thames, assistant pitching coach Matt Wise, first base/outfield coach Jason Bourgeois, third base/infield coach Justin Jirschele and catching coach Drew Butera.
Walker McKinven was hired as Venable°®¶¹apps bench coach and Joel McKeithan was hired as an assistant hitting coach.
Merv Rettenmund, ex-Reds OF, 81, dies
Merv Rettenmund, an outfielder whose 13-year major league playing career included World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds, has died. He was 81. No cause of death was given.
Rettenmund played his first six seasons for the Orioles before spending two each with the Reds and Padres and three with the California Angels. He set career highs with a .322 batting average and 18 home runs for Baltimore in 1970, when the Orioles won their second of three straight pennants °®¶¹app and beat Cincinnati in the World Series. Rettenmund homered in Game 5 as Baltimore wrapped up the championship with a 9-3 victory.
In 1971, Rettenmund finished third in the American League in batting (.318) and second in on-base percentage (.422).
He won the 1975 World Series with the Reds. After the end of his playing career, Rettenmund became a big league hitting coach, spending much of the 1990s with San Diego.
Extra bases
Pitcher Clay Holmes and the Mets finalized a $38 million, three-year contract. ... The Phillies signed closer Jordan Romano to an $8.5 million, one-year contract, making a short-term bet that the right-hander can return to form following a right elbow injury. ... The Dodgers expect Shohei Ohtani to be ready to hit when the reigning World Series champions open their season in Japan against the Cubs on March 18 and 19. Coming off his third MVP award, Ohtani is doubtful to pitch while recovering from elbow surgery in September 2023. Roberts said a mound appearance in Japan is °®¶¹appvery unlikely.°®¶¹app Ohtani had surgery Nov. 5 to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, an injury the 30-year-old sustained while sliding during a stolen base attempt in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26. ... The Rays°®¶¹app opener against the Rockies was pushed back a day until March 28 to give Tampa Bay an extra day to adapt the New York Yankees°®¶¹app Steinbrenner Field. Tampa Bay is playing home games at the Yankees°®¶¹app spring training facility in Tampa, Florida, this year because of damage to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9.
