Coveted Japanese-born pitcher Roki Sasaki is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers, signing a minor league contract with the organization. The 23-year-old’s decision comes as no surprise, given the popularity of the Dodgers as a destination for top players from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Sasaki is the latest top pitching prospect to join the team, following in the footsteps of pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and fellow pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb had a unique reaction to the news, posting a GIF from the 1996 film “Space Jam” on X, captioned “Time to play a little basketball.” The film, which starred Michael Jordan, featured a team of NBA stars who stole the talents of professional basketball players to become a super team.
The Dodgers have a strong track record of luring top talent from Japan, signing Ohtani to a historic 10-year, $700 million contract in 2023. Despite an injury that kept Ohtani from pitching in 2024, he had a career-best 54 home runs and earned his third MVP award. If he returns to the pitching mound in 2025, he will be part of a rotation that includes Yamamoto, Dustin May, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, and Clayton Kershaw.
Sasaki’s arrival in Los Angeles cements the city and the Dodgers as the preferred destination for top players from Japan. The team has also signed a long list of other star players, including first baseman Freddie Freeman, 2019 American League MVP Mookie Betts, and a host of other talented hitters.
Sasaki has a 2.02 ERA over four seasons in Japan, with a fastball that consistently reaches 100 mph and a splitter that bolsters his potential as an ace in a pitching rotation. He is the latest in a long line of top Japanese players to make the jump to the MLB.