QUESTIONS SURROUND THE DODGERS & ROKI SASAKI

I couldn’t believe it when I saw the news. I found it strange for many reasons, but knowing what the Dodgers already have, and now they had Roki Sasaki, it was like that 3 headed monster from the old Godzilla series...Ghidorah.

From Roki Sasaki they quickly signed reliever Tanner Scott. I mean how good are the Dodgers going to be? And how much money do they have? This isn’t just another big move—it’s yet another chapter in what has become an almost suspiciously successful saga for the Dodgers. Let’s not forget they landed Shohei Ohtani just last year. Now, reports are there are whispers of an investigation are gaining momentum, and frankly, it’s not hard to see why.

Jim Bowden, The Athletic's MLB insider and a former executive, has already sounded the alarm. He suspects that the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets are gearing up to call for an inquiry into the Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers' latest acquisition of Roki Sasaki. On the Foul Territory podcast, Bowden didn’t mince words: “I think you’re going to find that multiple teams are going to ask the commissioner’s office to investigate this particular signing. Several front offices believe there was a precut deal between the Dodgers and Roki Sasaki before the negotiation window even opened.”

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. The timing and nature of this Sasaki signing make it hard to dismiss the notion of a pre-arranged deal. Sasaki's camp has denied it, but the denials themselves are almost too strong, almost too rehearsed. As Bowden elaborated that the denials were so strong that it made you scratch your head. We were told "that a small market" would be more suitable for Sasaki, given the issues he faced with the media in Japan. Endorsements were cited as a significant factor, and Los Angeles was supposedly a poor fit due to the looming presence of Ohtani and Yamamoto. Yet, here we are, with all signs pointing toward a possible precut agreement.

Consider the logic. Sasaki, a pitcher with a reputation for being media-shy, was expected to gravitate toward a smaller market where he wouldn’t have to endure the intense spotlight that comes with playing in a big city like Los Angeles. On top of that, the Dodgers already have Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two towering figures in baseball. The narrative was that Sasaki wouldn’t want to play in their shadow, especially in a market as scrutinized as LA. And yet, the Dodgers pulled it off.

Conveniently, all those “reasons” for Sasaki to avoid LA suddenly don’t seem to matter.

This isn’t the first time the Dodgers have seemingly defied expectations in the free-agent market. Their ability to land star players almost effortlessly has raised eyebrows before, but this time, it’s pushing rival teams over the edge. There’s a sense that the rules might have been bent, or worse, outright broken.

The league’s competitive balance is at stake. If the Dodgers are indeed engaging in backdoor deals, it’s not just about unfairly bolstering their roster—it’s about eroding trust in the system that’s supposed to give every team a fair shot at signing top talent. The potential investigation could uncover practices that might force the MLB to rethink how it governs free-agent negotiations.  But much like the Astros cheating scandal, Rob Manfred will no doubt see no wrongdoing and force everyone to move on, and that is how it will all go down.

It’s no wonder teams like the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Mets are reportedly considering pushing for an investigation in my opinion. The Dodgers have consistently outmaneuvered them, and this latest series of signings just feel weird. If the commissioner’s office does launch an inquiry, it could reshape the landscape of MLB free agency for years to come. But believe me, Manfred would rather not disturb his kingdom and so nothing will happen... but I am suspicious.

For now, the Dodgers bask in their latest triumph, but the shadow of suspicion looms large. The baseball world waits to see if this house of cards will come tumbling down, exposing the machinations that may have fueled their meteoric rise. 

One thing’s certain—I back Bowden on this one. I believe this story is far from over.