While the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays were battling it out for Roki Sasaki, the defending World Series champs seem to have won.

The San Diego Padres could look to pursue former Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Jack Flaherty in free agency.

The Padres, with Japanese star Yu Darvish on the roster, felt they had a legitimate shot at Sasaki, and they had more money to play with, almost $6.26 million, than L.A. But the Dodgers, who eliminated the Padres on their way to the World Series last season, prevailed again.

Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki chose to sign with the Dodgers, he announced. That leaves the Padres to face an uncertain path in the months leading up to the 2025 season and to face the reality of their closest and most irksome rival going forward with yet another star player.

For Dodgers fans, it’s cause for celebration. For the rest of the league, it’s a disappointing conclusion and another reason to gripe and groan about the growing might of MLB’s new evil empire.

Dodgers fans can get their own Sasaki jersey, T-shirt or other gear at Fanatics. This link will send you to Sasaki’s section on Fanatics, which will carry his merchandise. The jersey number will update when it is official what number he will wear for the Dodgers.

A new report suggests either the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Diego Padres could get a discount rate from Japanese ace Roki Sasaki.

For some teams in Major League Baseball, the chase for Roki Sasaki could not be measured in mere months. It lasted for years. One of those teams, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, concluded that pursuit on Friday night by landing the star pitcher from Japan.

Roki Sasaki, the Japanese pitching sensation, has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, surprising fans who expected him to join the San Diego Padres d

Prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki says in an Instagram post he intends to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. A 23-year-old right-hander whose fastball tops 100 mph, Sasaki will join fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a move many baseball executives have long expected.

Prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki says on his Instagram post he intends to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.