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Roki Sasaki Impresses in Spring Training Debut

Yuri KarasawaMar 5, 20254 MIN READ
Roki Sasaki Impresses in Spring Training Debut

Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki struck out five batters across three scoreless innings in his Los Angeles Dodgers spring training debut on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old averaged 98.0 mph on his four-seam fastball, topping at 99.3 mph.

Sasaki entered the Dodgers-Reds spring training game in the 5th inning following fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed two runs in four innings while striking out three. Two years ago, Yamamoto piggybacked on Sasaki when Japan played Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic Semifinals. The two combined to allow five runs through 7 ⅓ innings in that game, but the Samurai stormed back late to win, 6-5.

Nicknamed “the Monster of the Reiwa Era,” Sasaki dominated the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) competition from 2021 to 2024, posting a 2.10 ERA with 505 strikeouts and just 88 walks over 394.2 innings. In April 2022, he made history by throwing 17 consecutive perfect innings, including a 19-strikeout perfect game, earning worldwide recognition. Though injuries prevented him from ever completing a qualified season or claiming individual titles and awards, Sasaki’s raw ability was undeniable.

In January 2025, the Dodgers secured Sasaki on a minor league deal with a $6.5 million signing bonus after a contested battle with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres. Sasaki’s posting by the NPB’s Lotte Marines came as a surprise to some, as he was still under 25 and subject to MLB’s international bonus pool restrictions, making him ineligible for a major league contract.

Had he waited until the 2026-27 offseason, the fireballer could have landed a massive contract similar to Yamamoto’s. But Sasaki’s decision was seemingly driven by ambition rather than personal financial gain, as he aimed to fast-track his path to MLB and become one of the best pitchers in the world. By joining the defending World Series champions, he reunited with his Samurai Japan teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani.

His fastball, which regularly touches triple digits, paired with a devastating split-finger, made him a slam-dunk big-league talent, earning him the No. 1 spot on MLB Pipeline’s 2025 prospect rankings. The Dodgers also promised to help Sasaki increase his average fastball velocity, which had fallen from 99 to 97 mph in 2024.

On Tuesday night, Sasaki made his much-anticipated Dodgers debut in a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds. His first pitch, a 99.2 mph fastball, resulted in a groundout by Noelvi Marte. He then allowed a single and hit a batter but bounced back with strikeouts of TJ Friedl and Matt McClain to end the fifth inning.

In the sixth, Sasaki ran into some control issues after a leadoff double by Elly De La Cruz, issuing a four-pitch walk and uncorking a wild pitch to put runners on second and third. However, he escaped the inning unscathed. His third and final inning was much smoother, retiring the side in order on just 11 pitches with two strikeouts, though Carlos Jorge narrowly missed a home run foul.

Sasaki wrapped up his outing with three scoreless innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and no runs on 46 pitches. He recorded five strikeouts and induced eight whiffs, most of them on his signature splitter. Overall, he mixed in 25 fastballs, 17 splitters, and four sliders, effectively showcasing his dominant arsenal.

Sasaki is expected to make one more spring training appearance before taking the mound in the second game of the Dodgers’ opening series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to start on March 18, with Sasaki likely throwing on March 19.

Photo Credit: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) throws during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, March. 4, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

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