The Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest splashes in MLB free agency this offseason by poaching two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Angels and landing Japanese starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. MLB general managers reportedly believe they’ll be joined by a third Japanese star in 2025.
Los Angeles committed to spending more than $1 billion total on Yamamoto (12 years, $325 million) and Ohtani (10 years, $700 million) over the next decade-plus. In addition, the Dodgers acquired All-Star pitcher Tyler Glasnow this past offseason and slugger Teoscar Hernandez.
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- Roki Sasaki stats 2023: 1.78 ERA, 135-17 K-BB, 0.74 WHIP, 13.4 K/9, 7.94 K/BB
While plenty of fans reacted to the free-agency frenzy by calling for a salary cap, Major League Baseball has made it clear it has no interest in implementing that. With only luxury tax penalties standing in its way, it appears Los Angeles could make another huge splash in free agency next winter.
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According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, multiple general managers in MLB believe Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki has plans to sign with the Dodgers after the 2024 season.
- Roki Sasaki Japan stats (career): 1.90 ERA, 395-59 K-BB, 0.83 WHIP, 11.7 K/9 in 303.2 innings pitched
While Sasaki would need to be posted for bidding by his Japanese club, the best pitcher internationally has already expressed his desire to play in the United States and is hoping for that to happen after the 2024 season.
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Who is Roki Sasaki?
Roki Saski, who is heading into his age-22 season, was the most sought-after baseball player in Japan coming out of high school. Pitching for Ofunato High School, he broke Ohtani’s record for the fastest pitch by a Japanese high school pitcher and was even generating interest from MLB teams.
“Every team in baseball wants this guy, but there’s no way he’s going anywhere else but the Dodgers. We all know it.”
Anonymous MLB general manager on Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki
Sasaki, who threw a perfect game on April 10, 2022, is a two-time All-Star selection. While he only threw 91 innings last year, he recorded 135 strikeouts over that span, holding 345 total batters faced to 51 hits with only 1 home run allowed.
In a class of MLB free agents that will also include Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, Sasaki will be one of the most in-demand players if he is posted. Standing at 6-foot-4 and with a lesser workload on his shoulders than previous pitchers coming out of Japan, Sasaki will also likely generate interest from teams like the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.
