Update: The international signing period for Major League Baseball has officially begun, marking an important milestone as top international amateur players become eligible to sign with teams after…

As the Dodgers await Roki Sasaki’s decision, they explore trades to increase their signing bonus pool.

On Wednesday, Major League Baseball’s international signing period began, marking a significant date when top international amateur players can officially sign with teams.

For 27 teams, the day was a whirlwind of activity, with many top international prospects finalizing deals that had been in the works for months or even years.

However, the Dodgers, Padres, and Blue Jays, the three teams still in contention for Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki, approached the signing period differently. Each team opted to conserve their hard-capped international signing bonus pools in anticipation of Sasaki’s decision, expected before his posting window closes next Thursday.

Sasaki, a 23-year-old standout pitcher from Japan, is considered part of the international signing class rather than an unrestricted free agent because he is under 25. As a result, he is subject to MLB rules limiting his signing bonus to the available funds in a team’s international pool, similar to teenage prospects from Latin America and other regions.

The Dodgers, for example, held off on major signings to preserve their $5.1 million bonus pool, one of the smallest in MLB due to luxury tax penalties and nearly $1 million less than what the Padres and Blue Jays can spend. While other teams signed top prospects, the Dodgers communicated to their key commitments that their contracts would likely be delayed until Sasaki’s situation is resolved.

This cautious approach came at a cost. Three highly regarded prospects — Dominican shortstop Darell Morel (Pittsburgh Pirates), Venezuelan outfielder Orlando Patiño (Chicago White Sox), and Dominican outfielder Teilon Serrano (Minnesota Twins) — reportedly signed with other teams. The Dodgers limited their signings to minor deals of $10,000 or less, which do not count against the bonus pool.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have reportedly explored trades with other teams to acquire additional international bonus pool money, according to sources familiar with the matter.