Rōki Sasaki Signs with Dodgers, Bolstering Already Elite Rotation
The 23-year-old Japanese pitching phenom chose the Dodgers over the Padres and Blue Jays, adding to a rotation projected to be one of the strongest in MLB history.
- Rōki Sasaki, a 23-year-old star pitcher from Nippon Professional Baseball, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines in December.
- Sasaki chose the Dodgers over the Padres and Blue Jays, making his decision six days before his 45-day posting window was set to close.
- The Dodgers' rotation now includes Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, with analysts projecting it as potentially historic in strikeout production.
- The Padres, who prioritized Sasaki to address their rotation needs, and the Blue Jays, seeking to transition to a new competitive era, must now pivot to other free-agent and trade options.
- Sasaki's signing highlights his potential as a future MLB ace, with scouts praising his triple-digit fastball, elite splitter, and above-average slider.
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