The Rich Get Richer: Roki Sasaki To Join Dodgers

Published: Monday, January 27, 2025

by Jake Marcial

After months of speculation, rumors, and waiting, MLB's newest superstar pitching prospect has crossed the Pacific Ocean to his new home. Following in the footsteps of his now-teammate Shohei Ohtani, Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki announced Friday on Instagram that he will be joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 23-year-old Sasaki was a two-time All-Star in Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s top league, and pitched a perfect game on April 10, 2022. In that game, he set the NPB record for strikeouts in a single game (19) and a world record for consecutive strikeouts (13). He first gained the attention of scouts in high school, where he broke Shohei Ohtani’s record for fastball velocity, reaching 101 mph before entering Japan’s top league.

“I have signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a very difficult decision, but I will do my best so that when I look back on it after my baseball career ends, I will think it was the right decision,” he wrote in the caption, in Japanese.

The globe first saw Sasaki's talent in 2023 when he pitched for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, recording a 3.52 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings, including a performance in the semifinal game against Mexico that showcased extraordinary movement and velocity in his pitches. Despite slight concerns about how well he will adapt to MLB play, his potential has transcended those doubts.

There appeared to be a legitimate battle between the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, each named finalists in the race, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Monday. Ultimately, the Dodgers prevailed.

The signing caps a successful three months for the club, which won the World Series in late October and signed two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to a five-year deal one month later.

It also shows the Dodgers are committed to addressing the few weaknesses the team has, as their starting rotation was plagued by injuries this past season. Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, and others missed time with arm injuries. Now, they appear to have the premier rotation in the league, featuring Sasaki’s Team Japan teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, who is returning to the mound after injury, as well as Glasnow and newly acquired Blake Snell. The signing also adds depth and opens the possibility of a six-man rotation.

The two other finalists will have to pivot. The Padres will explore other options to address a thin rotation that will be without All-Star Joe Musgrove, who tore his UCL while facing the Dodgers in the NLDS. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays finish as runners-up for a top free agent yet again, as they did with Shohei Ohtani last offseason and Juan Soto in December. Recently, rumors have also surfaced about a potential Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trade.

Because Roki Sasaki is under 25 years old and has spent fewer than six seasons in NPB, he was classified as an international free agent. As a result, he received a rookie-level salary, along with an international signing bonus, and the team he chose will have six years of control over him. This classification eliminated a bidding war for Sasaki, allowing any team to sign him. In contrast, his teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto was heavily courted before signing a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023.

Although teams competed to outspend their international bonus pools, that wasn’t a concern for Sasaki. His $6.5 million signing bonus is about $2 million less than what the Blue Jays were prepared to offer, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported. In an Instagram post, Sasaki said his decision was made with the future of his baseball career in mind, and the Dodgers have as strong a résumé as any to offer.

In the end, Los Angeles got what it wanted, along with every other international free agent it planned to sign. The team is expected to sign about 15 players on Saturday, according to Francys Romero on X.

With a move widely criticized by fans outside of Los Angeles, the defending champions strengthen the squad tasked with protecting their crown, hoping he will help them repeat the celebration they had on the mound at Yankee Stadium a year from now.

Jake Marcial can be reached at jacob.marcial@student.shu.edu. 

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