Reds-Dodgers trade for international bonus poll aids LA in acquisition of Roki Sasaki

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes is finally over, and it ended exactly how everyone expected. The Japanese phenom signed a $6.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, cementing LA's status as the odds-on favorite to win the World Series in 2025.

Though the Cincinnati Reds were never in the mix for Sasaki's services, they did aid in his signing. The Reds and Dodgers worked out a trade on Friday that sent international bonus pool money to Los Angeles in exchange for minor-league outfielder Arnaldo Lantigua.

The Reds sent $1.5 million to the Dodgers which enabled LA to seal the deal with Sasaki while also agreeing to terms with 15 other international free agents. Though baseball fans will bemoan the Reds for assisting the Dodgers in their acquisition of Sasaki, if Cincinnati didn't do, some other organization would have. In fact, the Philadelphia Phillies did something similar earlier this week, trading international bonus pool money to Los Angeles in exchange for Dylan Campbell.

Reds-Dodgers trade for international bonus poll aids LA in acquisition of Roki Sasaki

Sasaki's much ballyhooed free agency was all for show. The San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays made a valiant effort, but most industry sources proclaimed the Dodgers to be the winners months ago. Los Angeles' starting rotation now features, Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani.

But the Reds received a fine, young prospect in return. Lantigua was an international free agent signee himself two years ago. Barely 19 years old, Lantigua has impressive pop from the right side of the dish, hitting .301/.430/.575 with 11 home runs in the Dominican Summer League last season.

The most likely scenario will be for Lantigua to come stateside in 2025 and suit up for the Daytona Tortugas of the Florida State League. If Lantigua's power translates from the DSL to the lower-levels of the minor leagues, the Reds could have a potential star on their hands.

The Reds organization, as a whole, is starved for outfield talent. The team's top outfield prospect (Carlos Jorge) is a converted infielder. So while the Reds may have given the Dodgers the means to acquire Sasaki, if Lantigua blossoms into a top-100 prospect (and eventual MLB-caliber player), it will all be worth it.

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