Star pitcher Roki Sasaki has made his free agent decision, and he is going where many expected him to all along.
Sasaki announced on his Instagram page that he has decided to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 23-year-old said it had been a “very difficult decision,” and thanked his fans for their support.
Sasaki chose the Dodgers over the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, the other two reported finalists. The Dodgers had at one point been viewed as such heavy favorites that Sasaki’s agent had to dispel rumors of a handshake deal before Sasaki had officially been posted to MLB teams.
Sasaki joins a star-studded rotation that features another Japanese star in Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It will also feature Shohei Ohtani, at least for the foreseeable future. Along with the rest of the loaded roster, Sasaki’s arrival should cement the Dodgers as the favorites to win the World Series once again in 2025.
In his four seasons playing for Chiba Lotte in Japan, Sasaki has maintained a stellar 2.02 ERA and 0.88 WHIP across 69 starts. He is still just 23, and the Dodgers will get six years of team control before he can become a free agent.
