What Roki Sasaki’s Finalists Mean for the Cubs’ Future Plans

Chicago: The Cubs were never really in the lead for Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old pitching sensation. They got the news on Monday that they were out of the race, which means they need to rethink their pitching plans for the offseason.

Sasaki’s list of finalists came out Monday afternoon, and it looks like the Dodgers, Padres, and Blue Jays are the last teams standing. He has until January 23 to pick his new team, which is the end of his posting window.

The new international signing period kicks off Wednesday, marking the first day Sasaki can officially sign. Teams needed to know if they had to set aside bonus pool money for him, so this news is pretty crucial.

Sasaki’s talent and the relatively low cost to sign him made him a hot commodity for about 20 teams, including the Cubs. If they had landed him, it could have helped them break a four-year playoff drought and keep their championship hopes alive.

Even though they missed out, it doesn’t completely derail their plans. Still, there aren’t many free agent pitchers like Sasaki who fit their budget.

The Cubs recently traded for Kyle Tucker, a three-time All-Star, signaling they want to win by 2025. But then they made a salary-dumping trade, sending Cody Bellinger to the Yankees, which shows their budget constraints.

Jed Hoyer, the Cubs’ president of baseball operations, mentioned the balance between immediate needs and future goals. Their aim is to improve from last year, and that’s what they’re focusing on.

Currently, the Cubs’ rotation includes Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd. They also officially signed right-hander Colin Rea on Monday, adding him to a solid group of pitchers competing for spots, including Javier Assad, Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, and top prospect Cade Horton.