YANKEES "CONFIDENT" IN SASAKI PURSUIT

Ken Rosenthal has declared the New York Yankees as one of the top contenders in the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes, and Yankees fans are buzzing like a stadium full of vuvuzelas. "...it certainly seems like the teams that we've heard mentioned—the Dodgers, the Mets, the Yankees, the Padres, the Rangers, and some others—those are the obvious front-runners based on simply the fact that they have met with Sasaki and other teams have not," Rosenthal said, fanning the flames of speculation like a tabloid with a juicy rumor.

For Yankees supporters, this news is like a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth—or better yet, like finding an extra slice of pizza in the box. However, it doesn't fully capture how confident the Yankees' front office is feeling about landing the Japanese sensation. Bryan Hoch reports that the Yanks are riding a wave of optimism, and it's not just from their morning coffee.

"The Yankees thought they had realistic shots at Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto too," Hoch noted. "But I think that if there is not a geographical preference here... if that's not in play, the Yankees feel like they've put together a solid proposal and have really laid it out."

The Bronx Bombers believe they have a winning hand. They've rolled out the red carpet for Sasaki, complete with pinstripe patterns and maybe even a hot dog stand or two. "They have a history of Japanese players who have come to the Yankees and enjoyed their time there, becoming really recognizable stars," Hoch added. "New York, if you want to be in a major market, that might be the place for you."

It's a high-stakes game, and the Yankees are all in. Will Sasaki don the famous pinstripes? Only time will tell, but the excitement in the air is undeniable—like the smell of garlic fries at Yankee Stadium.