And so it begins…

Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki has officially been posted by the NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines.

“Since I joined [the Marines], I have continued to listen to my future MLB challenges, and I am grateful to the team for officially allowing me to post,” Sasaki said.

Anticipating his future arrival, the Texas Rangers front office wasted no time getting in on scouting Sasaki.

Rangers President Of Baseball Operations Chris Young and now GM Ross Fenstermaker made a trip to Japan in September to scout Sasaki.

“I can’t comment [on Sasaki], but it was a great visit,” said Young. “I probably was not there long enough to adjust, but nonetheless, it was a great visit.

I spent a lot of time with our scouts over in Japan, who do a tremendous job. It was really a fun time and I’m grateful for all they do over there, and excited about our operations in the Pac rim.”

There is no denying that the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to sign Sasaki as the defending champs also feature his fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

However, Sasaki’s age is what will keep many other teams (including the Texas Rangers) in the running.

Since Sasaki is just 23 years old, he won’t enter traditional free agency. He will sign as an international free agent with international bonus pool money.

That is music to the Rangers’ ears as they look to see their team’s payroll be below the 241 million dollar luxury tax to avoid a 50% penalty for their third straight season above the tax.

Nonetheless, even though Texas can afford Sasaki so can all 29 other MLB teams. It comes down to what can make Sasaki want to sign with Texas and believe it or not, the Rangers have a pretty good case.

Let’s break down some reasons why the Rangers could possibly convince Sasaki to land in DFW.

1 The Rangers have a history with Japanese pitchers

Several Japanese pitchers have come to Texas in the past. Everyone from Yoshinori Tateyama to Hideki Irabu to Koji Uehara to Akinori Otsuka have all been success stories with the Rangers.

However, it’s what Texas did with Yu Darvish that put them on the map. Darvish spent five strong seasons with the Rangers after coming over from Japan.

There is no doubt that Sasaki will want to be with a team that knows how to acclimate Japanese players into not just MLB but to America, and the Rangers know how to do that.

2 Chris Young and Bruce Bochy

Coming over from Japan as a superstar pitcher, who else would you rather want to play for besides Chris Young and Bruce Bochy.

Young, a 13-year MLB veteran pitcher, will no doubt have his fingerprints all over a plan for Sasaki.

Not only is Young the ideal front office man for a pitcher but there is no other manager you’d want to play for besides Bruce Bochy.

3 Creating your own path on a winning team

Sure, any other team besides the Dodgers will pitch to Sasaki that he can create his own path but the Rangers have a good case.

As the Rangers are heading for a return to contention in 2025, Sasaki would have an opportunity to play for a winner right away.

In the odds that Sasaki wants to play for a winner but maybe not play in a major market like New York or LA, Texas would certainly be a good option.

At the end of the day, are the Rangers the favorites to sign Sasaki? Absolutely not. The chances that Texas lands the Japanese star are well under 10%.

However, the Rangers have a chance and a case. When it comes to free agency, that’s all you can ask for.