Japanese ace Roki Sasaki announced his intention to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, choosing the defending World Series champions over the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, among other teams who showed interest in obtaining his services.
The Dodgers have become the pipeline for Japanese players in Major League Baseball, and the team will look to make history with their roster this season.
One conversation was reportedly "key" to the Los Angeles Dodgers landing 23-year-old Japanese stud Roki Sasaki. The flame-throwing right-hander Sasaki
The prized righty pitcher was one of the most sought-after international free agents in recent memory and picked the Dodgers over a considerable list of other suitors.
While most of the MLB world outside the Los Angeles area wasn't thrilled to learn of Sasaki's decision, Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson certainly was excited. The Los Angeles Lakers legend welcomed Sasaki to Dodger Stadium by gifting him a signed No. 32 Magic Johnson jersey.
On Thursday it was reported that Roki Sasaki would be joining the rotation that includes Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow.
Sasaki’s résumé in just a short amount of time in Japan is nothing short of legendary. During his tenure with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), he posted a jaw-dropping 2.02 ERA and racked up 524 strikeouts in just over 414 innings.
After much speculation, the hard-throwing Japanese pitcher posts his decision on Instagram, choosing to play with countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Los Angeles.
How a yearslong selection process ended with a sushi chef, a Bel Air mansion, and a text from the most famous baseball player on the planet.
NAPA — Around three o’clock on Friday afternoon, Roki Sasaki announced he was signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Less than 24 hours later, the San Francisco Giants hosted the first leg of their FanFest Tour in Napa to garner excitement for the coming season.
A former MLB infielder and current podcast host believes the Dodgers' super-team approach should send a message