The recent trade between the Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays could hold weight as Roki Sasaki nears a decision.

Toronto acquired $2 million in international signing bonus pool allocation from the Cleveland Guardians that could be used in its pursuit of Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki as part of a trade that also brought underperforming outfielder Myles Straw to the Blue Jays.

Spring training is less than a month away, but there is still plenty of MLB offseason business to tackle. A handful of notable players remain on the free-agent market, including Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso,

Roki Sasaki reportedly eliminated one of his three finalists Friday, suggesting he is close to ending the suspense of his free agency.

As the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes enter their final week, the Jays are giving it their best shot to give the Japanese pitcher the largest signing bonus possible.

This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen's Dodgers Beat newsletter, written this week by Paul Casella. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Blue Jays reporter Scott Mitchell of TSN appeared on Toronto’s morning show “First Up” on Wednesday. There, he revealed a close connection between Sasaki and the Blue Jays that should send tremors down the Yankees ’ spine. It begins with a member of Toronto’s front office staff, Frank Hermann, who was a former major league pitcher.

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired outfielder Myles Straw, cash considerations, & international signing bonus pool space for the 2025 period from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations.

Roki Sasaki will sign with either the Dodgers, Padres, or Blue Jays. Here's how their pitching staffs would look with the Japanese sensation in the fold.

Yes, the Yankees are out on Roki Sasaki. In fact, they were the second team officially eliminated by Sasaki's camp, after the San Francisco Giants. Wisely, though, that didn't mean they tuned out entirely. The three Sasaki finalists in Toronto, Los Angeles ...

The Blue Jays made a surprising trade on Friday morning, sending a player to be named later or cash considerations to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for outfielder Myles Straw — and, most importantly, some $2 million in international bonus pool money.