Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki heads to the MLB
By Bryan Ke
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team Chiba Lotte Marines confirmed on Sunday that phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki will be posted to the MLB soon.
- About Sasaki: Observers previously speculated that Sasaki may join Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster. Sasaki, 23, made his NPB debut with the Marines in 2021. He appeared in his first World Baseball Classic on March 11, 2023, the same day Japan commemorated the 12th anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Sasaki’s father and grandparents were among 15,500 people who died in the tragedy. Recalling the tragic past at a press conference at Zozo Marine Stadium in 2022, Sasaki told reporters, “It’s been 11 years but I cannot easily erase the agony and sadness I felt at the time. I’ve been able to dedicate myself to baseball thanks to the support I’ve had. I only have the sense of gratitude to those who supported me.”
- What’s next: While Sasaki was speculated to join the Dodgers, some rumors also suggest that he may find himself playing with Yu Darvish on the San Diego Padres. Regardless of where he lands next season in MLB, Sasaki vowed on Sunday to “do my best in the U.S.,” adding, “All of the warm encouragement and tough love I’ve received will give me strength.”
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