It is no coincidence that the Toronto Blue Jays are in the final fight to acquire the services of Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki, although many were surprised that they have put themselves ahead of more powerful sporting and economic teams that have already been ruled out such as the New York Yankees
In the final sprint of this race, the Blue Jays are battling with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, and their strategy to have a luxury mound was recently bolstered by the recent signing of Jeff Hoffman, who signed for three years and $33 million.
The Blue Jays represent an additional market
But then what is the advantage that Toronto offers over the teams that have been ruled out and those that are still in the running for the Japanese pitcher? The question has an answer that many had not thought of, and that is that signing with a team like the Blue Jays guarantees Sasaki the opening of a third market within Major League Baseball by the simple fact of being in Canada, a point that no team on the east or west coasts has.
“The Blue Jays have some things going for them that the other 29 teams don’t. First of all, they’re a market for an entire country, and that’s something that’s unique within the Major League Baseball landscape. And I know last year, when Ohtani was considering the Blue Jays, he was intrigued by the idea of reaching a third market through which to represent himself and his brand, and maybe there’s some interest on that front for Sasaki as well,” MLB Network’s Shi Davidi said
Sasaki would be calm and supported in Toronto
Davidi rightly points out that the media coverage, sometimes suffocating, that teams like the Dodgers or Yankees receive is not the same for the Blue Jays, and that is a factor that could play in Sasaki’s favor. If he signs with the team, he could join a strong pitching staff, both in the rotation and bullpen, thanks to the presence of Jeff Hoffman, who had previously been rejected by the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves after failing medical examinations.
Read the full article here
