“It’s affected him mentally,” Roki Sasaki’s agent talks about HARSH media treatment in Japan as pitcher lands in international waters
Roki Sasaki’s agent Joel Wolfe talks about the ace pitcher's personality and Japan media in press conference.
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Roki Sasaki [Image Credit: CBS Sports]
Roki Sasaki’s agent Joel Wolfe, in a recent press appearance, talked about the Japanese ace’s personality. While his assessment of the 23-year-old has stayed positive, he expressed disappointment with the media in Japan.
Wolfe commented on how the media in Japan had affected him mentally prior to his posting in the international market. He said it’s been “very tough on him” but he’s been in constant contact with the pitcher to ensure his smooth sail to MLB.
Wolfe believes Roki Sasaki has been treated unfairly by the media buzz, highlighting the media in Japan and not the Japanese media overall. He further added that he doesn’t know much about MLB and it’s player’s chances in different teams, so they’ll discuss and proceed from here on.
Roki Sasaki's agent Joel Wolfe says that the media in Japan has been "very tough on him" and that Sasaki has been treated unfairly: "It's affected him mentally, a little bit"
— SNY (@SNYtv) December 10, 2024
Wolfe adds that Sasaki's dream is to play in MLB pic.twitter.com/W9eWdvry0i
Wolfe also gave a glimpse of his personality to the MLB world. Since WBC’s performance, Sasaki has been one of the Japanese top pitchers and a highly sought one in major league.
Roki is somewhat quiet. He has a dry sense of humor. He’s very witty. He’s not verbose. He doesn’t necessarily love people that are verbose. He’s a good kid.
Joel Wolfe said via 97.3 The Fan on X
Roki Sasaki’s agent Joel Wolfe describes the pitcher’s personality:
— Sammy Levitt (@SammyLev) December 10, 2024
“Roki is somewhat quiet. He has a dry sense of humor. He’s very witty. He’s not verbose. He doesn’t necessarily love people that are verbose.”
Wolfe added: “He’s a good kid.”
pic.twitter.com/ot5pfbZd7d
Earlier, it was announced that the MLB teams could start wooing the ace pitcher from Tuesday till January 23 after being posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines. Teams have been waiting for this moment for a long time, and with superstar Juan Soto’s signing complete, the MLB attention will turn towards Roki Sasaki.
Padres confident in signing Roki Sasaki following Marines posting
Among the several interested teams in Roki Sasaki, the San Diego Padres appear to be confident in getting the pitcher. Padres manager Mike Shildt said they’re very “optimistic” about their approach.
Apart from the Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain favorites for the race. Many believe Sasaki would surely sign with the Dodgers due to their connection to Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
We just talk about wanting to put our best foot forward and presenting our situation. If things are meant to be, they line up. From our standpoint, we feel like we have a lot to offer. … Like anything, it should be a good process.
Padres GM A.J. Preller as per A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com.
Roki Sasaki has been posted. The window runs from December 10th until 5:00 p.m. (ET) on January 23
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 9, 2024
However, since Roki Sasaki will be joining an MLB team at the age of 23, he’ll be prone to restrictions. The pitcher cannot sign a deal worthy of his services until he reaches 25 according to MLB rules.
Regardless, once he passes that barrier, he can sign with any MLB team on a massive deal. Considering his performance so far, many expect his future in MLB to have a great effect like Ohtani, considering current pitchers.
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Kaushani Chatterjee
(2162 Articles Published)