Padres give hero's welcome to Roki Sasaki with Yu Darvish, Manny Machado in key roles

The Roki Sasaki sweepstakes are reaching their final days, and the closer we get to a decision, the more it seems like the Los Angeles Dodgers are an inevitability. Los Angeles has just about everything a pitcher like Sasaki could want, from a loaded roster to a major global city to ample flights back home to Japan — there's a reason they were considered prohibitive favorites from the moment Sasaki was posted, and sure enough, they now find themselves as one of three finalists to secure the righty's services.

But as the old saying goes, it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings, and the music hasn't started up just yet. If Sasaki were completely sold on the Dodgers, there's no reason for him to not have pulled the trigger already. The fact that he hasn't already means that he can still be swayed one way or the other, a notion confirmed by Sasaki taking visits to other cities over the last few days. One of those visits was just down the road in San Diego, and the Padres made sure to leave a lasting impression — one that just might be enough to steal him away from L.A.

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Padres' pitch to Roki Sasaki features Yu Darvish, Manny Machado and a homemade dinner

Sasaki runs a tight ship, and the teams that are chasing him have for the most part followed suit. But details from his trip to San Diego have begun to trickle out, and they should have Padres fans feeling pretty confident.

We know that Sasaki values a tight-knit community, reportedly even considering some smaller markets for fear of the sort of harsh media scrutiny he received while playing in Japan. So San Diego reportedly had him to a player's home for dinner. We also know that Sasaki has long idolized countryman Yu Darvish, and sure enough the veteran righty made sure to take some time away from hanging with Yusei Kikuchi make an appearance. Heck, even star third baseman Manny Machado flew in from Miami.

None of which guarantees that Sasaki will wind up picking the Padres. The Dodgers are a behemoth, while San Diego is weighing whether it needs to shed some salary amid an ugly ownership dispute. But these Padres came dangerously close to knocking off L.A. in last season's NLDS, and they offer the same West Coast convenience with a slightly dimmer spotlight. If those things appeal, and if Darvish can work some magic, who knows?