San Diego is the ideal spot for Roki Sasaki's development

 

English audio above. Japanese audio below.

As the international signings draw nears as early as tomorrow, Roki Sasaki is poised to make a decision as soon as tomorrow morning. There are three teams on his finalist list: the Blue Jays, the Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres. 

The Blue Jays, to me, are the surprise team. It may be all for show, and ultimately, he chooses the Dodgers or the Padres, but it may make sense financially. The Blue Jays are the only Canadian team in all of MLB. Toronto is home to an estimated 961,325 people of Asian descent, the second-largest Asian population after New York. 

It also lies in the eastern part of the United States, which rules out any rumor that location has any relevance to his selection process. Compared to New York, the Toronto market would not be as demanding or stressful. Signing with the Blue Jays would also help the team gain a niche in the Japanese market. While there were Japanese players who played for the organization, they were not considered superstars on the same level as Sasaki. Having a superstar like Sasaki would help with endorsements and sponsorships. It won't be as big as Shohei, but it could offset their financial problems.

The Dodgers would be the assumed favorite without a doubt. There are two Japanese superstars there that will help him through tough times, but it’s the least rewarding for him. The reason is that they don’t need him. The Dodgers are contenders no matter what.

With the Padres pitcher, Joe Musgrove, out for the rest of the next season, having Sasaki will help their bottom line, as they have a potential ace who can replace Joe’s production. San Diego also has an excellent pitching development program led by Ruben Niebla, who led the Padres to 3rd best in the majors, only below the Braves and Phillies, with a combined ERA of 3.80. San Diego would be the most ideal destination for the youngster.

We could find out as soon as tomorrow.