David Stearns took recruiting trip to Japan with eyes on coveted pitcher Roki Sasaki

SAN ANTONIO — Roki Sasaki is perchance this winter’s large Japanese pitching prize, and nan Mets person begun their recruitment. 

The team’s president of shot operations, David Stearns, said Wednesday that he traveled to Japan successful September to watch nan right-hander transportation and definitive a level of liking successful him by his presence. 

Sasaki, 23, has not been posted by nan Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.

It’s unclear if that will hap because of Sasaki’s property — arsenic a subordinate nether 25 he would only beryllium eligible to person world prize excavation money alternatively of nan benignant of windfall that Yoshinobu Yamamoto sewage past wintertime from nan Dodgers.

Yamamoto signed a 12-year statement worthy $325 million.

Chiba Lotte, which would beryllium receiving a posting interest based connected nan size of Sasaki’s MLB deal, would person greater information to hold until nan pitcher turns 25 earlier allowing him to leave. 

Shohei Ohtani arrived to MLB earlier nan 2018 play nether nan aforesaid benignant of circumstances Sasaki would beryllium facing.

Ohtani, arsenic a 23-year-old, received a $2.3 cardinal signing prize from nan Angels and was paid nan awesome convention minimum. 

“[Sasaki] is simply a unsocial talent,” Stearns said astatine nan GM meetings. “He’s 23 and throws 100 [mph] and a nasty splitter.” 

The Mets tried difficult for Yamamoto past offseason (the Yankees were besides among his superior suitors), pinch nan pursuit lasting into precocious December.

That holdup delayed nan pitching market, but Stearns indicated that won’t beryllium nan lawsuit if Sasaki is posted because of nan smaller magnitude of money involved. 

“I deliberation 1 of nan reasons nan marketplace was held up past twelvemonth for Yamamoto was that teams didn’t want to walk resources anterior to knowing whether they were going to get Yamamoto,” Stearns said. “In this case, I don’t spot personification for illustration Sasaki, who is going to beryllium taxable to nan prize excavation limitations, holding up nan remainder of nan starting pitching market.” 

The Dodgers, who person Ohtani and Yamamoto locked up agelong term, will apt beryllium nan front-runner to motion Sasaki if he is posted. 

Stearns said he didn’t meet Sasaki connected his travel to Japan, but felt it was important to fto nan Mets’ liking beryllium known. 

“As overmuch arsenic anything, to definitive a level of liking and respect for these players that we are giving a concerted effort to spot them successful their environment,” Stearns said.