Mariners' Roki Sasaki hopes remain alive after MLB.com's updated prediction

Although it may be just a sliver of hope, the Seattle Mariners are still in contention for this winter's most sought-after international player on the market. Japanese pitching prospect Roki Sasaki has been at the top of several teams' wish list this offseason, including the M's.

In a bit of a shocking twist, the latest update on Sasaki could ease the minds of Mariner fans. MLB.com offered up the final six potential landing spots for the right-handed pitcher, which includes Seattle.

Will Sasaki's dreams of being a Major League Baseball player wind up in the Pacific Northwest? It's still not clear, but the Mariners still having a horse in the race is a great sign.

Mariners Rumors: Seattle among top landing spots for Roki Sasaki

Supplementary to the latest update on Sasaki, the Mariners already had a leg up over some big-market clubs. If reports are true that Sasaki would prefer to play in a quieter market, New York or Los Angeles might not be the fit that he is looking for. A city like Seattle might just be what piques Sasaki's interests and comforts, so Mariners fans have to feel good about the positive direction these sweepstakes are still headed in.

The Mariners have some holes in their roster, and although starting pitching is not one of them, getting Sasaki on board could help lead to other players becoming more attracted to signing with Seattle. Sasaki is not the only international player that Seattle is interested in, but coming to an agreement with him can potentially open doors to ink another deal with a guy like Hyeseong Kim.

Kim is a good player on both sides of the ball, and the Mariners would benefit mightily from adding him to a lineup that needs more hitting. Perhaps one of these players showing a preference to the Mariners could lead to the other considering Seattle a little more. Either way, the Mariners rubbing elbows with active teams like the Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers is a great spot to be in.

These organizations tend to dwarf the other teams in the market, whether it's for free agents or trade targets. For Seattle to still be part of the chase has to make Mariners fans more excited than other clubs are currently. The odds of him landing in Seattle may not be high, but the excitement swirling his sweepstakes has generated a needed positive buzz around the Mariners as they look to improve in 2025. Hopefully the news continues to get better.