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This week, news broke that Toronto Blue Jays officials met with 23-year-old Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki, drawing attention as the Blue Jays were not initially seen as frontrunners in the race for the young pitcher. Historically, teams like the Padres, Dodgers, Mets, and Cubs have been in the spotlight for Sasaki's potential signing. Yet, the Blue Jays’ recent engagement suggests they may be serious players in this pursuit.
Sasaki is known for emphasizing his development as a pitcher, making the Blue Jays’ track record in this area a concern. Their last homegrown starter to achieve back-to-back 30-start seasons was Marcus Stroman, who had his breakthrough under the previous management. Given this context, many are left questioning why Sasaki would be interested in Toronto.