Roki Sasaki prepares to join MLB as teams eye Japanese pitching star
abc7.com — December 16, 2024, 03:00 PM UTC
Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old pitcher from Japan, is set to join Major League Baseball after his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, posted him for U.S. teams. MLB franchises have until January 23 to negotiate with him. Sasaki had an impressive 2024 season, with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111 innings. He is known for his fastball, reaching up to 102.5 mph, and has drawn comparisons to Shohei Ohtani. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are among the teams interested in signing Sasaki. He is expected to earn significantly less than older players due to MLB's international signing rules.