Blue Jays should make last-minute Hail Mary offer to Roki Sasaki

The Toronto Blue Jays have had some issues with pitching depth in the previous few seasons, and it seems as though plenty of fans still believe the team doesn’t have the strength to make a playoff run with their current pitching staff. 

While they made a trade with the Cleveland Guardians where they added Nick Sandlin, as well as signed Yimi Garcia, the Jays still haven't made any meaningful additions to the rotation after beefing up their bullpen depth. Following the loss of Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto needs to add both innings and upside. Luckily, potentially the highest upside option on the entire free agent market is still in the decision-making process. Available for international bonus pool money alone, with the playing field leveled, the Blue Jays have no reason not to target Roki Sasaki. If they haven't made a Hail Mary offer yet, there's nothing stopping them.

While the Blue Jays have some other more pressing issues they need to address before the season gets going, finding a way to strengthen their pitching depth should be one of, if not their main priority. Sasaki established himself as a potential star in Japan, and his remarkable talent should easily translate to the MLB. 

Roki Sasaki Should Be Blue Jays' Number One Priority

Sasaki, who is 23 years old, is considered the top remaining free agent in MLB. Last season in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Chiba Lotte Marines, he posted a 2.35 ERA with 129 strikeouts through 111 innings. While the Blue Jays haven’t been connected to him yet, it would be embarrassing for them not to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime free agent for whom a bidding war cannot occur. Sasaki reportedly prefers to avoid swarming, big-city media like New York and LA, and wants to learn about MLB franchises' pitching programs. The Jays would be foolish not to pitch him on their infrastructure.

With Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt all pencilled into the Blue Jays’ rotation, it leaves some options open as the season inches closer. Bowden Francis pitched extremely well last year, and could earn a starting spot. Alek Manoah will not be back in time to make an Opening Day impact, and Yariel Rodriguez is trying to establish himself as a full-time starter. 

Adding Sasaki strengthens their pitching depth immediately and eliminates any questions heading into the season. He may not move the needle and make the Blue Jays a championship contender right away, but he would at least help them get closer to their goal of winning a World Series. After all, how often does a pitcher with ace pedigree just ... appear like this?