Baseball: Sasaki’s move to MLB at 23 breaks precedent

Roki Sasaki’s move to MLB from the Lotte Marines at the age of 23 marks a landmark change in the dynamic that exists between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball as well as future negotiations between top amateurs and Japanese clubs. An NPB player can move to MLB as either a free agent or a posted player whose club agrees to accept a transfer fee if he signs abroad. For a posted star who is 25 or older with six years of pro experience, there are no limits to the rewards he or his club could reap. By letting Sasaki go now instead of in two years, the Marines cast away the poss…

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