Sasaki Roki’s Behind-the-Scenes Turmoil in Lotte Contract Renewal

“From the end of the year to the beginning of the year, the only player in the baseball world who made headlines for not renewing his contract was Lotte’s Roki Sasaki (22).” (Sports newspaper reporter)

The contract was finally signed on January 26 at an estimated annual salary of 80 million yen, which was the same as the status quo, and a press conference was held on January 27, but it was in early December of last year that something unusual between Lotte and Roki surfaced.

 

“That was about ‘Roki has requested a move to the Major Leagues through the posting system for the 2023 offseason, but the team is unlikely to approve.’ Roki’s desire to move to the Majors has been discussed for some time, so it wasn’t particularly surprising, but the fact that this leaked out just before the posting deadline on December 15th led to the emergence of a conflict between Roki, who wants to go to the Majors as soon as possible and the team that can’t afford to let him go to the Majors this offseason.” (Same source)

As expected, the team did not approve the posting last offseason, and Roki’s contract expired without being renewed. It was also reported that Roki had withdrawn from the Japan Professional Baseball Players’ Association, to which all but a handful of veteran players are members.

“Of course, like most teams, Lotte believes that using the posting system, which includes a transfer fee, is preferable to exercising overseas free agency rights, which would result in zero compensation for the former club. However, if Roki were to immediately move overseas, he would fall under the category of under 25 years old, less than 6 years in a foreign professional league, and as a result, his contract would be limited to less than $5.75 million annually. Considering these factors, the team seems to be conveying that it’s premature, and to some extent, that sounds like a reasonable argument.” (Same source)

In the midst of all this, we also heard about Roki’s distrust of the baseball team.

“Not limited to Lotte, the owner’s feelings and thoughts naturally have a strong influence on team management. There seems to be a desire to have Roki earn more for Lotte and to be indispensable. But such sentiments may have reached Roki’s ears, and to his pure self, it might seem blatant. While it may seem like the kind of thing that could be resolved through direct communication, it’s not always that simple, and that might have led to complications.” (Same source)

It seems natural that the superstar would want to contribute as much as possible to the baseball team while he is here, assuming that a trip to the majors is inevitable.

“Reports have also surfaced about the presence of an IT entrepreneur intruding into Roki’s family, but the actual situation is unclear. However, on January 26th, as the situation approached where the Roki brand could potentially be tarnished, they managed to finalize the contract.” (Same source)

Lotte’s general manager explained that the reason it took so long was that negotiations were conducted through an agent, and that Roki was not being stubborn.

“There seemed to be a tug-of-war between Roki, who was seeking assurances of an early move to the Major Leagues or something close to it, and the team, which couldn’t easily comply. Roki, for better or for worse, is known for his straightforward character and desires to play at a higher level. From the agent’s perspective, if they want to make that happen, it may require some acrobatics or somewhat unrealistic approaches.” (Same source)

The official website of Major League Baseball reported that Roki could be posted as early as the next offseason.

“From the perspective of Major League Baseball, Sasaki undoubtedly ranks at the top when it comes to Japanese pitchers they want to see on their roster.” (Same source)

The story of Roki, who lost his father and grandparents in the March 11 tsunami and became a leading pitcher in the baseball world, is one that touches the hearts of many. Therefore, everyone would hope for a scenario that everyone can support.