Latest Roki Sasaki rumor has Chicago Cubs nowhere to be found

Jordan Campbell

World Baseball Classic Semifinals: Mexico v Japan / Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/GettyImages

The Chicago Cubs completing their offseason appears to be in a holding pattern while the team waits for Roki Sasaki's decision.

The Cubs were among the teams to have an initial meeting with Sasaki, but it remains to be determined whether they will be among the teams the Japanese starting pitcher chooses to have a second audience with.

Sasaki is believed to be signing once the international free agent signing pool resets on January 15, with a decision being made likely before the deadline for this year's signing period on January 23.

In an update on Sasaki's market, Francys Romero reports that he is expected to sign after January 20 but the interesting tidbit was the teams Romero specifically mentioned.

Per industry sources: Roki Sasaki and his team are expected to make their decision after January 20, just 72 hours before the deadline.

The Padres, Dodgers, and Giants are among the top contenders to sign the 23-year-old Japanese ace.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 4, 2025

Roki Sasaki is looking less likely for the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs have always appeared to be swimming upstream in the Sasaki sweepstakes. While the Cubs can point to the success in the development plan they had for Shota Imanaga last season, the sense has always been they were taking a backseat to the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres for Sasaki. The latest is only more confirmation that Cubs fans shouldn't be counting on the Cubs to sign Sasaki this offseason.

It would seem likely that the Cubs are waiting for finality on the Sasaki sweepstakes before moving on with their offseason. While the money isn't a huge detriment to the Cubs completing other moves, the team likely wants clarity on what direction they will need to pivot to. On the off chance that Sasaki signed with the Cubs, the team would use their remaining resources to solidify the bullpen while adding to their bench.

If, as expected, Sasaki does not sign with the Cubs, the team will need to pivot quickly to add the much-discussed addition to the starting rotation they have been seeking.

Jordan Campbell

For nearly 15 years, Jordan has been a workhorse across the FanSided network - including being the inaugural site expert for Cubbies Crib, as well as a stop at Da Windy City as the site expert. In addition to returning to be a Co-Site Expert at Cubbies Crib, Jordan was previously the Site Expert at Bear Goggles On. In the years since, Jordan has joined FanSided's full-time team, serving as a staff writer for the MLB division. Jordan's work can be seen across the MLB division, including a consistent presence on our Cubs, Twins, Astros, and Tigers sites. Since 2010, Jordan has dedicated his craft to providing insightful commentary on all things Chicago sports, and he has enjoyed his venture into all things Major League Baseball.