Who is Roki Sasaki? All you need to know about the rising Japanese ace set to dominate MLB with his 102-MPH fastball
One of the hottest names entering the offseason is Roki Sasaki. The Japanese pitcher is widely considered one of the most exciting pitching prospects outside of the MLB and is expected to draw interest from several clubs. However, the Sasaki Sweepstakes will need to wait until it's determined whether or not he will be posted by his Japanese club.
It remains to be seen if the Chiba Lotte Marines will post him for MLB clubs, but according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, there is a sense that they will. If Sasaki is indeed posted, he will likely see many clubs vying for his signature, similar to Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Sasaki has been a force throughout his professional career in Japan thanks to his elite fastball and ability to rack up strikeouts. At 6-foot-3, he has used his strong build to establish himself as a top-tier prospect. On April 10, 2022, Sasaki became the first player in Nippon Professional Baseball to throw a perfect game since 1994.
It was not only Sasaki's production that made headlines as the young superstar tied the record for the fastest pitch thrown by a Japanese player, hitting 102.5 mph on the radar gun. While there will always be concerns about pitchers who throw as hard as Sasaki, like injuries to flamethrowers such as Spencer Strider, his potential is sky-high.
Last season, Sasaki remained elite on the mound, posting a 10-5 record with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 111.0 innings of work. This level of production is more in line with the likes of Shota Imanaga than Yoshinobu Yamamoto; however, both pitchers have shown their upside at the MLB level, suggesting that Sasaki could be the next in line.
The LA Dodgers are the favorites to land Roki Sasaki in free agency
It may not be surprising, or even the news that many MLB fans want to hear, but the LA Dodgers appear to be the frontrunner to sign Sasaki in free agency if he is posted. The reigning World Series champions will not only be looking to bolster their pitching rotation this offseason, but they also have the financial abilities to do so.
Thanks to the connection between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, not to mention Ohtani's deferred contract, it comes as no surprise that the Dodgers could be the landing spot for Roki Sasaki. If Sasaki does sign with the Dodgers and performs up to his potential, it could be a dynasty in the making.