Japanese pitching phenom predicted by MLB observers to join Shohei with the Dodgers

Baseball observers predict that Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki may head to the Los Angeles Dodgers if he gets posted by his Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team, the Chiba Lotte Marines.

Sasaki, 23, is projected to head stateside in the 2025 MLB season, potentially joining fellow Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Los Angeles team, according to ESPN. Sasaki, who gained international attention with a 19-strikeout perfect game, eight perfect innings and 14 strikeouts in 2022, is among the “most sought-after players available,” the outlet noted.

A native of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture, Sasaki reportedly declined a deal with the Chiba Lotte Marines, which he has been a part of since 2019, earlier this week. Over his four seasons in the NPB, Sasaki recorded a 2.02 earned run average (ERA) with 524 strikeouts in 414 2/3 innings.

While his prospect of joining the Dodgers is possible, some scouts speculate that he may start in a smaller market. Additionally, there is a possibility that NPB may not post Sasaki this postseason, as doing so may not be beneficial for them. Under MLB rules, foreign-born players under 25 years old with fewer than six seasons of professional experience are subject to international bonus restrictions.