Roki Sasaki spent his downtime on Monday night and Tuesday playing table tennis with teammates, lifting weights, playing catch and signing autographs in the rain at the Chiba Lotte Marines’ spring camp base in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture.

Sasaki was back at work on Thursday, stepping into the bullpen for the third time since camp began on Feb. 1. He mostly threw fastballs, according to Nikkan Sports, mixing in a few forkballs and sliders. Former MLB pitcher Hideo Nomo was among those watching the 22-year-old.

After weeks of rampant speculation, the "Monster of the Reiwa Era" is back to the business of baseball, and the MLB questions are back on the shelf for a few months.

The questions will return the second the season ends, but some of the noise will die down until then — probably to the chagrin of the crowd that likes to proclaim every NPB star as a “future (insert MLB team — usually the Dodgers — here).

Now, Sasaki can focus solely on the season ahead, and the spotlight will be brighter than ever. Many already considered Sasaki to be the most talented pitcher in Japan, but he is the clear overall No. 1 now, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto graduating from future Dodger to current Dodger this offseason.

Sasaki had an impressive showing for Japan at the World Baseball Classic last spring and was 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 91 innings for the Marines in 2023. He only made 15 starts and still finished eighth in NPB with 135 strikeouts. He was one of two pitchers — the Orix Buffaloes’ Shunpeita Yamashita was the other — with more than 100 strikeouts in fewer than 100 innings.

Sasaki threw 35 pitches on Thursday, according to Nikkan Sports, to bring his total to 124 since camp began. Indeed, Sasaki is hard at work preparing for the season, which is probably welcome news for Marines fans after a worrisome offseason.

It began with a report in early December that said Sasaki had requested a move to MLB through the posting system during the offseason and that the Marines would deny the request. There were also questions about whether Sasaki had a clause that would force Lotte's hand. There were rumors that his contract negotiations with Lotte were at a standstill and that the standoff stemmed from his side’s insistence the Marines post him after the 2024 season. Sasaki did not sign his deal until late January and was the last NPB player to do so.

He and the team tried to present a unified front during a news conference on Jan. 27 that yielded few answers.

"I have the desire to play in the U.S. major leagues in the future," Sasaki said, as reported by Kyodo News. "I've been having proper communication with the club every year. I believe the club understands it too."

Sasaki did not put a timetable on that desire and said he was focused on 2024. From the team side, Lotte executive Naoki Matsumoto denied that disagreements about the posting system held up contract negotiations.

Both sides have understandable viewpoints (if the rumors are true). Sasaki wanting to pitch in MLB as soon as possible, like Shohei Ohtani did in 2017, would not be surprising. But if the Marines have criteria Sasaki needs to meet first, that is also important.

Team President Shunsuke Kosaka did not comment on Sasaki's situation when cornered by the media in early January, but said, "The team wants to support those players who have already contributed in their efforts to move to the majors," according to Kyodo News.

Ohtani had won an MVP award and helped the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters win a Japan Series before the team posted him after his fifth season. For all of his prodigious talent, Sasaki has pitched just three seasons, and his 129⅓ innings in 2022 are a career-high. He has 283⅔ career innings and has yet to make more than 20 starts in a season.

A major issue, as with most things, is probably money. Sasaki will lose a king’s ransom if he moves to MLB before turning 25 on Nov. 3, 2026. The MLB collective bargaining agreement limits what teams can pay players under 25 who have not played six pro seasons. Ohtani faced the same situation and was limited to a minor league deal and signing bonus with the Los Angeles Angels instead of the riches he would have otherwise received. The 25-year-old Yamamoto, meanwhile, got a 12-year, $325 million deal from the Dodgers this offseason.

That might be fine for Sasaki, but would leave the Marines in a pinch.

Since the posting fee is based on a percentage of a player's contract, the Marines would simultaneously lose their star pitcher and miss out on a huge payday — the Buffaloes received over $50 million for Yamamoto — if Sasaki makes the jump before age 25. When Ohtani moved to MLB, he was grandfathered in under an earlier version of the posting system, which meant the Fighters still got a cool $20 million (still far below market value) out of the deal.

If Sasaki has a clause saying the Marines have to honor his wishes, Lotte's hands may be tied. If the Marines get to set the criteria, the club has more of a foundation to stand on, assuming either of those rumors is true.

Right now, however, those are mostly discussions for months down the road.

Sasaki has been as good as advertised when on the mound. When he has a feel for his game, he is a legitimate threat for a perfect game — and has already thrown one — or no-hitter at any time. The Marines brought him along slowly in his first two pro seasons, and Sasaki missed a large swath of time with an oblique injury last year.

He got a taste of what it's like to pitch against MLB players during the WBC semifinals against Mexico in Miami last season and may have extra motivation in 2024.

The monster is sharpening his claws in Ishigaki right now, and that may spell trouble for hitters across NPB.

Bumps and bruises

The goal for every team is to make it out of spring camp with no injuries. Players get banged up sometimes, however, and a few stars are already ailing.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami is dealing with a hip issue, while the Hanshin Tigers’ Japan Series hero Sheldon Neuse skipped batting practice on Thursday due to a minor forearm issue, Sankei Sports reported.

The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters are dealing with a more pressing matter after infielder Kotaro Kiyomiya went down with a sprained left ankle just before camp. Kiyomiya needed crutches and has not been a regular participant as the team scouts for a replacement to start the season.

Making the rounds

Samurai Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata is making the rounds at various NPB campsites as he scouts players for the Premier12 in November.

Ibata has already said he wants to call up Sasaki and other players are trying to make an impression on the national team skipper.

“I won’t be chosen If my numbers are bad,” Giants pitcher Shosei Togo was quoted as saying by Sports Nippon after a bullpen on Tuesday.

Ibata also checked in on the Orix Buffaloes in Miyazaki and has high hopes for Hiroya Miyagi, who will take over as the club’s No. 1 pitcher after Yamamoto’s move to MLB.

“I want him to be a starter at the next WBC and Olympics,” Ibata told reporters.

Learning from a master

Former Dodgers starter Nomo has been visiting the Marines’ camp, per various reports, and took some time out to do a little coaching.

Nomo, who possessed a devastating forkball during his playing days, passed on a few tips to Lotte’s Haruya Tanaka during his visit on Thursday.

“I’ve been working on it as my put away pitch, but I have not been able to throw it well,” Tanaka told Nippon Television. “Nomo-san has a lot of knowledge and he gave me good advice.”

Tanaka was Lotte’s third pick in the 2022 draft and has yet to make his top-team debut.