The Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that has proven time and again why they are among the greatest in baseball, have made an acquisition that promises to elevate their already stellar pitching rotation. Rōki Sasaki, a 23-year-old phenom from Japan, has signed with the World Series champions, further strengthening their future prospects and making them an even more formidable force in the 2025 season.
Sasaki confirmed his move to the Dodgers after his six-week recruiting period was over. He made the announcement through his social media post on Friday.
Cost-Effective Addition To Dodgers’ Rotation
Signing Sasaki does not only strengthen the Dodgers’ roster but also gives them a young, high-talent pitcher at a cost that teams might usually expect for a talent of such caliber. Sasaki’s services, for the next six years, will cost teams only as much as their international signing pool – a remarkable advantage for the Dodgers, who will have his salary controlled for the next few years.
This opportunity arose because Sasaki, who was posted by his former Japanese team, Chiba Lotte, before reaching Major League Baseball free agency, allowed all 30 MLB teams a chance to sign him.
With Sasaki deal, the team has added something more to complement their already potent pitching rotation as the Dodgers set out to assert their dominance and maintain it longer in the league. There comes a time where the Dodgers also need it – to be considered an unbeaten force in the National League West throughout 2025.
Star-Studded Los Angeles Dodgers Rotation
The Dodgers’ pitching rotation is nothing short of a juggernaut. Along with Sasaki, the Dodgers have Blake Snell, who was signed to a five-year, $182 million contract in December. There is also Yoshinobu Yamamoto, another Japanese pitcher who signed a massive $325 million contract with the Dodgers last year after seven dominant seasons in Japan. Yamamoto was also key in the Dodgers’ postseason success, starting four of their 11 postseason victories.
The team also boasts seasoned veterans like Clayton Kershaw, whose return to the Dodgers is almost a given, and young, emerging stars such as Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Bobby Miller, and Landon Knack.
In total, the Dodgers now have an astonishing nine potential starting pitchers. This depth will allow the team to ease Sasaki into the major leagues, as the pressure won’t be on him to make every start or pitch over 200 innings, a luxury he didn’t have in Japan.
Sasaki’s Impressive Track Record
Sasaki has performed even more impressively in Japan. During his 69 games with Chiba Lotte, he had a mere 2.02 ERA. He had, arguably, one of the finest seasons in 2023, boasting a 1.88 ERA over 15 games and 91 innings with 135 strikeouts. In his last Japanese season, Sasaki was reported to have garnered 10 wins with 18 starts, and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings.
One of Sasaki’s most unforgettable achievements came in 2022, when he pitched a perfect game – a feat that was followed by eight more perfect innings in his next start, before being pulled for precautionary reasons.
Standing at 6-foot-4 and possessing a frame that has the potential to add even more muscle, Sasaki can throw a fastball that has reached 102 mph, typically sitting comfortably in the upper 90s. His splitter is a vicious pitch that would surely get nastier in the MLB.
Even though Sasaki is bound to need some time adjusting his pitching style to suit the MLB, particularly on pitch mix and usage, there is no doubt he would thrive.
Dodgers’ Risk-Free Signing
The Dodgers have done well to minimize the risks they have associated with signing Sasaki. The team will pay Sasaki an amount equivalent to the major league minimum, under $800,000, for the next three seasons, using a significant portion of their $5 million international signing pool to acquire the young pitcher.
The team will also control his rights for three years of salary arbitration and potentially three more years, should Sasaki remain in the majors without spending time in the minors.
This long-term control allows the Dodgers to build Sasaki without having to worry about losing him to free agency for many years to come. With this kind of prospect in their stable for such a long time, the Dodgers are well set to continue their reign in the MLB.
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