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The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their latest talent coup on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, officially introducing Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki as a member of the team.
After statements from Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Sasaki introduced himself through an interpreter before facing questions from media for the first time as a Dodger.
The primary question concerned the influence of fellow Japanese Dodgers stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on his decision.
What influence did Ohtani, Yamamoto play in Sasaki’s decision?
Ohtani just concluded a historic MVP campaign that culminated in his first World Series championship in his first season playing with the Dodgers. Yamamoto is fresh off a strong rookie season (3.00 ERA, 105 Ks in 90 innings) that featured a bounce-back from a midseason injury to pitch to a victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series.
Each player went through a similar process in transitioning from Japanese baseball to MLB. Did they influence Sasaki in his decision to join them on the Dodgers? According to Sasaki, they did not.
Sasaki told reporters that he exchanged texts with both and that they welcomed him when he made his decision. But he said he made the call to join the Dodgers over the Padres, Blue Jays and other suitors independent of playing with other Japanese players.
“It wasn’t a priority for me if there was or was not a Japanese player on a team, as I was looking at all the teams,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “Being able to play with Ohtani and Yamamoto, both exceptional players, really looking forward to playing with them.
“And not just them but the rest of the team, which is incredibly talented as well. So I hope and I’m going to work toward making sure I can stand side-by-side with them.”
Sasaki did say that he prioritized joining a team and a city that would embrace a Japanese player.
“It wasn’t a priority if there were Japanese players on the team,” Sasaki continued. “But I did want to check that a Japanese player would be embraced in the team and the city.”
Why did Sasaki choose the Dodgers?
After an extensive process that included meeting with multiple teams, Sasaki said he concluded that the Dodgers are the best franchise as a whole in MLB. And he believes in the front office.
“Overall, when I looked at the general consensus, I thought that the Dodgers were at the top,” Sasaki said. … “The number one thing that stood out was the stability of the front office.”
It’s hard to argue with his conclusion. The Dodgers are fresh off a World Series title and have dominated the offseason with high-profile acquisitions, including two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and All-Star reliever Tanner Scott. The Dodgers have also retained several of their own key players, including Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen, to solidify themselves as favorites to win the World Series again next season.
When will Sasaki make his Dodgers debut?
The question for Sasaki heading into the 2025 season is how big of a role will he play in the Dodgers’ quest for a repeat. At 23 years old with a two-pitch arsenal, Sasaki isn’t yet a polished MLB product like Yamamoto was last season, when he joined the Dodgers at 25.
But Sasaki’s fastball and splitter project as two of the best pitches in baseball, and it shouldn’t be long into the 2025 season before he’s a member of the rotation, if there’s any delay at all. When he’s ready, he’ll join a rotation with the upside of being one of the best in MLB history alongside Ohtani, Snell, Yamamoto and All-Star Tyler Glasnow.
Sasaki could play a big role in realizing that upside. Friedman said Wednesday that Sasaki’s stuff immediately wowed Dodgers scouts when they first saw him six years ago when he was in high school.
“Even then, his explosive fastball, pinpoint command and poise beyond his years stood out,” he said.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers recently introduced their newest pitching prospect, Roki Sasaki, who made it clear that the success of Japanese players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not influence his decision to join the team.
Sasaki, a highly-touted 19-year-old right-handed pitcher from Japan, signed with the Dodgers after turning down offers from multiple teams in Japan and the MLB. Despite the recent success of Japanese players in the major leagues, Sasaki emphasized that his decision to join the Dodgers was based on the team’s strong development program and the opportunity to play on a competitive team.
“I have always admired players like Ohtani and Yamamoto, but my decision to join the Dodgers was not influenced by their success,” Sasaki said through a translator during his introductory press conference. “I believe that the Dodgers have a great development program and I am excited to be a part of such a storied franchise.”
Sasaki comes to the Dodgers with high expectations, as he is considered one of the top pitching prospects in Japan. With a fastball that touches 100 mph and a devastating slider, Sasaki has the potential to become a key piece of the Dodgers’ pitching staff in the future.
Dodgers fans are eager to see what Sasaki can bring to the team and are hopeful that he can help lead the team to another World Series title. With his talent and determination, Sasaki has the potential to make a significant impact in the major leagues and become a star player for the Dodgers.
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Dodgers, Roki Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japanese pitcher, MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball, decision, influence, joining team
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