The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes never reached the point of being existential. In San Diego, it only might have felt that way.
The Padres could only look on Friday as a deflating offseason turned into something closer to devastating. Sasaki, the prized right-hander, announced on Instagram that he had chosen to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego’s nearest and most hated rival.
Long before their recent World Series title, the Dodgers were widely viewed as the favorites to land Sasaki and team him with fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yet for months, if not years, the Padres were seen as a close second in the race to sign perhaps the most coveted free agent since Ohtani himself.
This past weekend brought tantalizing confirmation, with the Padres finding themselves alongside the Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays as finalists for Sasaki’s services. The Padres, given their lack of offseason acquisitions, arguably needed him more than anyone else. And as recently as Wednesday, they remained optimistic about their chances.
Club officials and a number of players hosted Sasaki in San Diego for a visit that stretched through the weekend and into Monday. When the 2025 international signing period opened some 48 hours later, the Padres held off on spending any significant money on Latin American prospects who had previously agreed to sign with San Diego. The club hoped to instead use that money to land Sasaki.
The Padres hoped Roki Sasaki (left) would join Yu Darvish (right). Instead, he’ll be in a rotation with Shohei Ohtani. (Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)
But, by late Thursday, the Padres were pivoting, having been informed they were no longer in the running. League sources confirmed to The Athletic that the Padres were finalizing the signing of Dominican pitching prospect Carlos Alvarez. Alvarez, who held an open workout Wednesday, is expected to receive a larger signing bonus from San Diego than originally agreed upon. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com first reported Alvarez’s updated agreement, adding that the Padres also planned to sign Dominican shortstop Jhoan De La Cruz after all. De La Cruz, who also had a seven-figure verbal deal with San Diego, had spent recent days working out for different teams, sources said.
While De La Cruz and Alvarez are teenagers, far from proving themselves as professional players, San Diego faces immediate concerns that loom even larger now that Sasaki is headed elsewhere.
The Padres, who are currently projected to be above the luxury tax threshold, have yet to trade for a big-league player or guarantee a dollar in free agency this offseason. Perhaps the team’s most noteworthy deal has been a minor-league agreement with 38-year-old catcher Martín Maldonado, who was released by the Chicago White Sox last summer. And the Padres are still seeking help behind the plate, in left field and in the starting rotation. Their present lack of depth stands in contrast to the Dodgers and other National League opponents that recently acquired impact talent.
Club officials have said the Padres do not need to shed payroll to make additions, but the team has entertained trade interest in multiple key members of the roster. Players who have been discussed include potential pending free agents Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez and Luis Arraez, as well as Jake Cronenworth, who is signed through 2030.
In the meantime, the franchise must continue to operate amid a legal dispute between family members of late Padres owner Peter Seidler. Some in the industry predict the team eventually will be put up for sale.
The Padres still aim to contend in 2025 for what would be a second consecutive postseason berth. Manny Machado, one of five San Diego players with a nine-figure contract, will turn 33 this year. So will Xander Bogaerts. Yu Darvish, who is close with Sasaki and helped steer the Padres’ recruiting process, will be 39 in August.
Adding Sasaki, 23, would have made all of it easier to navigate. Keeping him from joining the Dodgers would have been a sizable bonus. Now, the Padres must forge ahead with a significant degree of difficulty.
(Top photo of A.J. Preller: Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images)
