SAN DIEGO -- With his window for a decision fast approaching, Roki Sasaki reportedly met with the Padres over the weekend as he continues to narrow his list of suitors.

The highly coveted Japanese right-hander had an in-person meeting with the club in San Diego, according to a report from The Athletic. The team did not confirm the meeting.

The Padres have long been rumored as a favorite to sign Sasaki, who has also met with other clubs, including the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, Rangers and Blue Jays. According to recent reports, on Monday Sasaki narrowed his field to the Padres, Dodgers and Blue Jays -- informing at least the Giants, Yankees and Mets that he will not be signing with them.

? Who's in, who's out of Roki Sasaki sweepstakes?

Sasaki cannot sign with a team until the 2025 international signing window opens on Wednesday, and his agent, Joel Wolfe, recently indicated that Sasaki likely wouldn't make his decision straightaway. He has until Jan. 23 -- the end of his 45-day posting window -- to sign with a club.

Sasaki's free agency is a unique one, given that he will be arriving as a 23-year-old, slated to make only a rookie salary (plus international bonus pool money, which is capped for each team between $5 million and $7.5 million). Regarded as a potential ace, Sasaki would bring immediate value to whichever team signs him.

The Padres have long been optimistic that he¡¯d like their pitch. Sasaki was posted by his former club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, at baseball's Winter Meetings last month in Dallas. Instantly, San Diego was viewed as a favorite.

"I feel like we're in a good spot for a multitude of reasons," Padres manager Mike Shildt said at the Winter Meetings. "One, we're in San Diego. We sell out our ballpark every night. We have a very competitive ballclub. And it's a chance for him to come in and create a legacy for himself -- to help win the first World Series."

There's an argument that no team needs Sasaki more than these Padres, who have built a contending roster, but don't seem to have much flexibility. They've indicated a willingness to stay below the first luxury tax threshold. That could make a major signing or acquisition difficult to pull off. Then again, Sasaki falls largely outside those financial considerations.

Of course, Sasaki would fit on just about any pitching staff. But it's particularly seamless in San Diego¡¯s current rotation -- which blends high-end talent with a couple vacancies. With Joe Musgrove out for the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery, Sasaki could slot in alongside Yu Darvish, Dylan Cease and Michael King. (Darvish, a teammate of Sasaki at the World Baseball Classic, is close with Sasaki, and one of the reasons he's been rumored to land in San Diego.)

That's the short-term view. The long-term view sees King and Cease slated for free agency after the season, leaving the Padres with a need for future stability in their starting rotation.

There¡¯d be no better place to start than with a 23-year-old ace arriving on a rookie deal.