The San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays have lost out on Japanese pitching superstar Ru014dki Sasaki after he chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
It's a tough blow for both teams given the 23-year-old Sasaki's potential as a staff ace, but both teams are forced to push forward this offseason in hopes of improving the roster through other means.
The 93-win Padres pushed the Dodgers to a series deciding Game 5 in the NLCS but ultimately fell 2-0. Meanwhile, the 74-win Blue Jays endured a disappointing season that ended with a last-place finish in the AL East despite a talented roster capable of a far better finish.