Roki Sasaki officially announced he will be joining the Los Angeles Dodgers, a move that shocked many, although some had suspected this would be his destination. With the arrival of the Japanese pitcher in LA, the Dodgers could now have three Asian pitchers in their rotation for the 2025 MLB season.
According to Fox Sports and experts like Jeff Passan, the Dodgers could use Sasaki alongside fellow Japanese pitchers Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to anchor their pitching staff. They would be joined by other pitchers such as Landon Knack, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.
One notable aspect of the Japanese pitchers is that they are all right-handed, which might not be too difficult for opposing batters to face. However, each has a unique pitching style. In 2023, Sasaki threw four pitches over 100 mph, a feat that very few pitchers have accomplished.
Sasaki is known for his quick, solid pitching style, featuring four main pitches: fastball, forkball, curveball, and slider. Despite his fastball being the quickest of his pitches, it’s not considered the most dangerous, as his forkball is regarded as one of his best weapons for getting outs on the mound.
Who is the youngest among the Japanese pitchers?
Roki Sasaki is the youngest of the trio at just 23 years old, while Yamamoto is 26 and Ohtani is the oldest at 30. Only Shohei Ohtani has played for other MLB teams, while Sasaki and Yamamoto have both spent their careers exclusively with the Dodgers. They are not related by family.
Ohtani will not pitch at the start of the season
According to information from Fox Sports, Ohtani will not pitch until May 2025, so he will not be starting the season with his teammates. It’s worth noting that in the 2024 season, Ohtani didn’t pitch a single game, playing instead as a designated hitter with 731 plate appearances.