The San Diego Padres, long viewed among the favorites to sign the next "big thing" from Nippon Professional Baseball, remain among the very few teams with a chance to sign him.

The Padres are finalists for Roki Sasaki and they should follow up with these free agents this offseason amid ownership concerns.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki says in an Instagram post he intends to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. A 23-year-old right-hander whose fastball tops 100 mph, Sasaki will join fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a move many baseball executives have long expected.

While the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays were battling it out for Roki Sasaki, the defending World Series champs seem to have won.

The San Diego Padres are one of the final three teams being considered by Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki.

The New York Yankees are intensifying their interest in Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki for the upcoming 2025 MLB season, following a recent fallout with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. As MLB teams prepare for the international signing period,

With the deadline for Sasaki to sign, the two National League West rivals are battling it out to the very end.

The Padres are finalizing deals with a pair of Dominican prospects and could be out of the Roki Sasaki race. Read more at MLB Trade Rumors.

The San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were said to be the other finalists still in pursuit of Sasaki, who has until next Thursday to finalize a contract.

The sweepstakes for 23-year-old Japanese flamethrower Roki Sasaki could be nearing its conclusion. Sasaki, whose representation said he was open to playing for all 30 teams, is now reportedly down to two franchises as he nears a decision.

The Padres have dropped out on the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes and MLB fans are speculating that the Dodgers will win the race.