(Photo credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
The Los Angeles Dodgers formally introduced the signing of Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki on Wednesday.
Last Friday, Sasaki introduced on social media that he supposed to signal a free-agent cope with the Dodgers. The Dodgers, in flip, posted a welcome to him with out revealing contract particulars.
Per Spotrac, Sasaki signed a one-year, $6.5 million deal.
He received an introduction to Los Angeles on Tuesday, sitting courtside because the Lakers beat the Washington Wizards. He met LeBron James and his fellow Japan native, Rui Hachimura.
Sasaki, 23, was essentially the most coveted worldwide free agent of the MLB offseason. He selected to signal with the reigning World Series champions, who’ve bolstered their oft-injured beginning rotation immensely because the winter started.
Sasaki will be part of a rotation that will likely be headlined by countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and likewise characteristic two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and 2024 All-Star Tyler Glasnow. Snell, most not too long ago of the San Francisco Giants, additionally signed with Los Angeles this offseason.
Now that he is formally signed to an MLB staff, Sasaki took his place at No. 1 on the Baseball America high prospects listing on Wednesday.
Sasaki grew to become a folks hero when he set a fastball document for prime schoolers with a 101 mph clocking and launched himself on the world stage throughout the World Baseball Classic in 2023. In his solely begin — a win towards Mexico — Sasaki averaged 100.5 mph on his fastball.
He set a single-game document in Japan in 2022 with 19 strikeouts, together with a stretch of 13 consecutive Ks, in an ideal recreation.
–Field Level Media