Roki Sasaki is a star. Probably.
He first attracted stateside attention in the 2023 World Baseball Classic with his 100-mph (161-kph) fastball and authoritative mound presence. And Sasaki, 23, has been putting up some huge numbers in Japan, with a 2.02 career earned run average.
The Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki’s club in Nippon Professional Baseball, announced early Saturday that they will post the right-hander, thus making him available to MLB teams in what is expected to be a wide-open sweepstakes for his services. Once Sasaki is posted, he has 45 days to sign.