Dodgers miss out on exciting pitching prospect as Blue Jays get Roki Sasaki revenge

One of the biggest offseason storylines was the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes. The Los Angeles Dodgers faced stiff competition for the Japanese phenom's services and had to fend off the Toronto Blue Jays, who pulled out all the stops as one of the finalists in the chase.

With Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki in tow, the Dodgers also added South Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, making the club the foremost power in the brimming Asian market.

Thanks to building up their brand, never-ending pockets, the city's large Asian population, and the relative proximity to Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries compared to many other parts of the U.S. mainland, it appeared as if every top player from that part of the world would be the Dodgers for the taking.

However, now the Blue Jays have gotten their revenge, swiping an 18-year-old Japanese star hurler from the Dodgers' outstretched tentacles.

Blue Jays steal intriguing teenage pitching prospect from the Dodgers' clutches

Seojun Moon is an 18-year-old high schooler from South Korea. He's also now the newest member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. The Dodgers were heavily interested in the youngster, but ultimately were unable to outbid the Blue Jays, who shelled out $1.5 million to secure his services.

By virtue of spending $6.5 million of the international bonus pool money on Sasaki, the Dodgers' strongest pitch to Moon was their dominance in the Asian market, as opposed to the financial incentive that Toronto could offer, further proving that cash is, in fact, a motivating factor for some.

The promising hurler boasts a 2.18 ERA in high school, which, while impressive, comes with a ton of caveats. Still, scouts rave about his potential, citing his developed six-foot-five frame, a fastball that can touch 95 miles per hour, and a tremendous ability to spin the ball on his breaking pitches.

It wouldn't surprise to see him add even more velocity as he matures, given his already massive frame, and he looks to have all the tools to have a shot at being a frontline starter.

Still, Moon is very raw, and big league success is no guarantee. With that said, it stings to see their reputation fall short as the Blue Jays exact their revenge, swiping away such a promising young arm from a part of the world that has virtually become the Dodgers' backyard.