Among starting pitchers, Corbin Burnes is one of the best in the business. However, according to MLB sportscaster Larry Krueger, Japan’s 23-year-old ace Aki Sasaki, who is still playing in the majors, is the better player.
On Wednesday’s Krueger Show, the host praised Sasaki as a better starter than Barnes and Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will make his major league debut in 2024.
He shared his thoughts on a recent episode of “The Klug Show” with podcaster Jon Rando.
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“The Giants are also really chasing after this Japanese genius pitcher, Aki Sasaki. Yeah, and I think Sasaki is a lot better than Barnes,” Krueger said (1:50). “I mean, Sasaki looks like the best pitcher I’ve ever seen coming from Japan. I mean, he’s really, really good. He’s completely dominating. Probably better than Yamamoto. And Yamamoto was great, right? I think he got 32 million on a 12-year contract or something.
“But here’s the deal with Sasaki. It’s all about making him want to come here. The question isn’t how much they’re paying him, because the amount they can pay him is It’s a pittance compared to the value of his second contract. So it’s all about where he wants to live, what team he wants to be on, what kind of environment he wants to be in. ”
Larry Krueger: “It would be better for baseball if the Giants acquired Roki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes.”
The Giants-Dodgers rivalry ranks among the top three rivalries in MLB, and may be as good as the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. But in recent years, the Giants have fallen short when it comes to matching the Dodgers’ star-studded roster.
However, signing the likes of Roki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes could bring some level to the iconic National League West rivalry.
“If it ends up being either the Giants or the Dodgers or the Padres for Sasaki, I think it’s much, much, much better for baseball,” Krueger added. “I think it would be much better for baseball if he came to the Giants. Obviously I’m biased, but the Giants are an iconic franchise. The rivalry with the Dodgers because the Dodgers are so dominant. is currently dormant.”
“But could you please pair Sasaki, Japan’s leading genius, with Corbin Burnes, opposite Yamamoto and Ohtani, in San Francisco? We’re talking about it right now. I think you can beat the Dodgers. I’m not saying that, but at least I see it, you know?”
As the offseason progresses, all eyes will be on whether the Giants can make this a reality.
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
