Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki picks Dodgers

The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching rotation is set to get a big lift. On Friday, coveted Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki announced he will play for the Dodgers.

The 23-year-old took to Instagram to reveal that he is inking a minor-league contract with the organization. Saski’s Japanese team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, will receive compensation from the MLB franchise.

Saski is the latest Japanese-born superstar to land in Los Angeles in the past year. Last winter, superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined the team. Ohtani was exclusively a designated hitter in 2024, but won his third career MVP trophy. He plans to return to the pitching mound in 2025. 

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Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman previously said that signing Sasaki was considered a “major priority.” Sasaki met with the Dodgers earlier this week. 

The combination of youth and elite level talent made Saski a highly-sought after prospect.

WHO IS RŌKI SASAKI? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE JAPANESE PITCHING SENSATION BOUND FOR MLB

However, the Dodgers were long considered the favorites in the race to land the pitcher whose fastball routinely reaches 100-mph. He can also throw an impressive splitter, which bolsters his potential to be an ace in a pitching rotation.

A long list of MLB clubs submitted information about their respective organizations to Saski and Wasserman, his representing agency, in December during baseball’s winter meetings.

While several of those teams were granted in-person meetings, only three organizations made the short list. By January, the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and Dodgers were the final teams under consideration.

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The Dodgers’ projected pitching rotation already featured Tyler Glasnow, Yamamoto, Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw. Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, also signed with L.A. earlier this offseason.

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