Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher and MLB prospect Roki Sasaki pitched a complete game in a 5-1, playoff-clinching win against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Tuesday.
Sasaki’s complete game was his first since 2022 and was an important one for the Marines. Lotte needed a win against Rakuten to eliminate them from contention while securing a spot in the Climax Series.
Sasaki threw 108 pitches in his complete game victory, only allowing five hits and an earned run. Sasaki struck out ten batters without a walk in the process.
The Marine ace has garnered significant hype from a few MLB clubs this season, notably the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Whether or not Sasaki will be able to be signed by an interested MLB team will come down to the Marines, who have to post him in order for him to be signed.
Lotte already denied Sasaki’s request to be posted in 2023 but could change their mind this winter.
Either way, Sasaki showed off his durability on Tuesday by not only pitching a complete game but also by eclipsing 100 innings pitched in a season for the first time since 2022.
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