Could another Japanese phenom make his way to the majors and inspire another frenzied free-agent chase this offseason?

The answer is unclear, but a report at least has opened a tiny window toward Roki Sasaki joining Major League Baseball soon.

According to a report from Yahoo Japan, Sasaki — a 22-year-old pitching superstar who might be the best Japanese prospect since Shohei Ohtani — has requested that his Pacific League club post him before Friday’s deadline.

The report states, though, that the Chiba Lotte Marines likely will not accept Sasaki’s request.

If the Marines and Sasaki wait a few years, they both would be in line for much bigger paydays. 

Sasaki is not 25 and has not played the NPB for at least six years, so he is not eligible to enter major league free agency.

Ohtani arrived in MLB early through a clause in his contract with the Nippon-Ham Fighters that allowed him to leave when he wanted, so he left for the Angels at 23 (and received just a $2.3 million signing bonus).

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that Sasaki might have the same type of clause in his pact.

If Sasaki does leave Japan this offseason, he would be leaving a lot of money on the table.

Because he is not eligible for free agency, Sasaki would face international bonus money restrictions that cap spending (on all international free agents), teams starting with just $4.75 million bonus pool to distribute.

Like Ohtani after the 2017 season, Sasaki would become a potential superstar available for relative pennies.

Ohtani agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers on Saturday,

Much of the American audience became familiar with Sasaki during the World Baseball Classic, when the righty showed off a 102-mph fastball and devastating splitter for the gold medal-winning Japan team.

In three seasons in the Pacific League, Sasaki has pitched to a 1.90 ERA with 395 strikeouts in 303 ⅔ innings.

He already has become a legend with a legendary nickname: “The Monster of the Reiwa Era,” an allusion to the current era of Japan’s calendar.

Sasaki getting posted would serve as a monumental opportunity for each MLB club, as unlikely as it might be.

If Sasaki waits a few years, he would be in line for the type of riches that await Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whom the Yankees, Mets and several clubs are trying to woo with hundreds of millions.

Yamamoto pitched for seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes, who have posted the righty and set both parties up to make quite a bit of money.