The Chicago Cubs had reportedly shown interest in acquiring Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet before the lefty landed with the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal.

Now in the wake of that smell, the Cubs have to turn elsewhere to win the National League Central.

FanSided’s Mark Powell laid out a game plan for the Cubs to compensate for the snub on Crochet. One of the top priorities regarding Powell’s list was to sign Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki.

Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki
MIAMI, FL – MARCH 20: Roki Sasaki #14 of Japan delivers a pitch in the first inning against Mexico at loanDepot Park on March 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images

“Roki Sasaki would be a perfect fit in Chicago. Like Shota Imanaga last winter, the Cubs have a surprising presence in Japan, which could get them in the door for the 23-year-old Sasaki. The problem with Sasaki, however, is that he’s affordable, meaning , that his market will have no limits,” Powell wrote. “Sasaki is coming in MLB as a big-league-ready pitching prospect. If he performs well in spring training, he will have a guaranteed spot in any rotation. The Cubs have Shota and more to recruit Sasaki to the Cubs, but they’re not alone. Still, the Cubs should make Sasaki a priority and do whatever it takes to sign him.”

The Cubs are one of the top teams in the Sasaki lottery. While they can’t part with the money they offer, they can part in other ways.

Every team in the league will aggressively pursue the young flamethrower, so acquiring him could be quite difficult. But if the Cubs can land him for as cheap as he wants to be, that would totally make up for the crochet smell. Especially since Chicago could salvage its prospects for a blockbuster deal for Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker.

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