Blue Jays whiff as World Series champion Dodgers land prized Japanese hurler Roki Sasaki

Prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki has announced his intention to sign with the reigning World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in an Instagram post. The 23-year-old right-hander, known for his blazing fastball that can reach speeds over 100 mph, will be joining fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in what many baseball insiders have long anticipated.

While the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were rumored to be other finalists in the race to sign Sasaki, he ultimately chose the Dodgers. Sasaki has until next Thursday to finalize his contract with the team.

In his Instagram post, written in Japanese, Sasaki expressed his excitement about joining the Dodgers. He stated, “I have signed a minor contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a very difficult decision, but I believe it was the right choice. I am grateful for all those who have supported me and I look forward to wearing the Dodgers uniform at my news conference.”

The Dodgers have a significant amount of money available in their international signing bonus pool, giving them the flexibility to make moves to increase that amount further. This financial leverage could play a role in securing Sasaki’s signing.

With plans to implement a six-man rotation, the Dodgers are looking to ease Sasaki’s transition to Major League Baseball. The team’s goal is to become the first repeat champion since the New York Yankees accomplished the feat from 1998 to 2000.

Sasaki became available to MLB teams through the posting agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB. As an international amateur due to his age and service time in NPB, Sasaki is limited to a minor league contract subject to the signing pools. The Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki’s former team, will receive a release fee based on a percentage of his signing bonus.

During a press conference at the winter meetings, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, addressed rumors of a pre-existing agreement with the Dodgers, emphasizing that MLB had conducted a thorough investigation to ensure fairness for all parties involved.

Sasaki boasts an impressive track record, with a 29-15 career record and a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Marines. He has also achieved notable milestones, such as pitching a perfect game against Orix in April 2022.

The Dodgers are gearing up for the upcoming season, with their first spring training workout scheduled for February 11 in Glendale, Arizona. They will kick off their season with a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo on March 18 and 19. Excitement is building as Sasaki prepares to make his mark in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers.