This past Saturday, the Chiba Lotte Marines announced that they will begin the process of posting 23-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki. Considered by many to be one of the most best pitchers on the planet, Sasaki stands to make his long-awaited MLB debut next season.

If the San Francisco Giants are unable to win the chase for highly touted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, could they pivot to a different countryman on this year’s free-agent market? This is going to be a pivotal offseason for the Giants.

For years, Seattle was regarded as a premier destination for Japanese players making the jump to Major League Baseball. The Mariners had strong ties across the Pacific: They had a longtime owner, Hiroshi Yamauchi,