As expected, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the three teams left in the running to land Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki this winter.

Padres, Dodgers still standing in Roki Sasaki chase

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Monday that both National League juggernauts remain standing along with the Toronto Blue Jays in the hunt to add the potential future ace to their roster:

“The finalists for Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN. Sasaki will decide on his team by the closing of his posting window Jan. 23,” Passan reported.

Sasaki only has until Jan. 23 to make his decision on where he’ll debut in the MLB after being posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball last fall. If his decision does not come by then, he will have to return to the Marines next season.

All offseason long, both the Padres and Dodgers were linked to the 23-year-old for their winning cultures, favorable locales and the compatriotic ties that players on their roster have with him.

Padres & Dodgers can cement rotations with Sasaki

The Padres just brought back their ace Dylan Cease on a one-year, $13.75 million deal to avoid arbitration. Sasaki can round out an elite rotation in San Diego including Cease, Michael King, and his fellow countryman Yu Darvish.

As for the Dodgers, they made a major splash this offseason by acquiring two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. Sasaki could link up with his fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, along with Snell and Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow to form an unfathomable ensemble in Los Angeles.

Whichever team inherits the precocious talent will receive a player who is intent on winning and becoming a dominant specimen in the Major Leagues.