Japanese ace Roki Sasaki announced his intention to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, choosing the defending World Series champions over the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, among other teams who showed interest in obtaining his services.

There has been no shortage of speculation that Roki Sasaki's decision to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers wasn't the result of a meticulous free-agent process, but rather a handshake deal made months or even years earlier.

NAPA — Around three o’clock on Friday afternoon, Roki Sasaki announced he was signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Less than 24 hours later, the San Francisco Giants hosted the first leg of their FanFest Tour in Napa to garner excitement for the coming season.