NEW YORK -- Last month, Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki and his representative reportedly met with the Mets, but the team was informed that it is no longer in the running for his services, according to a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman. The Mets have not confirmed the report. It was also reported by Heyman that the Dodgers, Padres and Blue Jays are finalists to sign Sasaki.

Sasaki, 23, posted a 2.02 ERA and struck out 32 percent of the batters he faced as a member of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball from 2021-24. He has a fastball that can go as high as 102 mph and a splitter that can reach 88 mph.

The Mets were hoping Sasaki could join a rotation that includes Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas and Griffin Canning.