Reds could shockingly be in the mix for Roki Sasaki following agent's latest remarks

Roki Sasaki is officially posted and is expected to sign with a major league team next month. While Yoshinobu Yamamoto commanded a huge salary from the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, Sasaki's situation is vastly different.

Sasaki doesn't meet the age requirement to be a true free agent, and thus a bidding war for his services will not be part of the equation. Instead, teams will use their international bonus pool money in order to sign Sasaki next year. With $7.55 million available, the Cincinnati Reds have one of the richest pools available. Other suitors for Sasaki like the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays have similar money available.

Reds could shockingly be in the mix for Roki Sasaki following agent's latest remarks

But money won't be the deciding factor for Sasaki when he comes states-side next month. Much like Shohei Ohtani before him, if Sasaki is going to make it big, it'll be on his next contract. And while many have opined that it's a two-horse race between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres, Sasaki's agent Joel Wolfe believes that a small market franchise may be best for his client.

"I think that there's an argument to be made that a small or mid-market team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing, coming from Japan given what he's been through," Wolfe said. "Given what he's been through, and not having an enjoyable experience with the media, it might be, I'm not saying it will be, but it might be beneficial for him to be in a smaller market."

That's all Reds fans needed to hear to get their hopes up. In all seriousness, it's unlikely that Sasaki would come to Cincinnati, but it shouldn't be ruled out completely. The Japanese hurler has mentioned his preference of a proven track record among the coaching staff, and having Director of Pitching Derek Johnson on board can't hurt. Terry Francona's presence as the team's manager has to count for something as well.

If Sasaki is looking for a soft landing spot with a somewhat laidback media presence and a strong record of developing young pitchers, you're not going to find too many organizations that will be outdo the Reds. Whether that'll be enough to lure Sasaki to Cincinnati is yet to be seen. Look for the 23-year-old to sign his free agent deal by the middle of January.

Most Reds fans are satisfied with the team's current rotation, but given the price point, there's no way Cincinnati can pass up on the opportunity to add Sasaki this offseason.

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