LA Dodgers might add Japan’s best pitcher to their juggernaut team for next season

Roki Sasaki may be joining the Dodgers in 2025

Roki SasakiLAPRESSE

The Los Angeles Dodgers have left an indelible mark on MLB history with their monumental offseason. They have signed multiple top-tier free agents and made some game-changing deals. From securing Shohei Ohtani to the biggest contract ever to making Yoshinobu Yamamoto the highest-paid pitcher in history and trading and later extending Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers’ moves have been nothing short of impressive.

The team built a juggernaut for the 2024 season, and it is practically World Series or bust for the Dodgers: Anything short of a championship will be considered a failure. However, they are already planning for the 2025 season with another groundbreaking signing.

According to Bob Nightengale from USA Today, the Dodgers may be adding another Japanese to their roster next season, as multiple sources around the league have told him that star NPB pitcher Roki Sasaki has plans to sign with the Dodgers next offseason.

Roki Sasaki’s insane stats

Sasaki, 22, is widely regarded as the best pitcher in the NPB and will be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines at the end of the current season. He pitched a perfect game on April 10, 2022, against the Orix Buffaloes and holds the world record for most consecutive strikeouts in a single game with 13.

In three seasons in the NPB, Sasaki has thrown 283.2 innings with a 19-10 record, 376 strikeouts, and a 2.00 ERA. He constantly reaches 100 mph in his pitches and holds the record for the fastest pitch in NPB history with 102.5 mph.

He won the 2023 World Baseball Classic with Japan, finishing the tournament at 1-0 with a 3.52 ERA and 11 strikeouts across 7.2 innings.