The Los Angeles Dodgers introduced Roki Sasaki during a press conference at Dodger Stadium this past week, which offered the first opportunity for the right-hander to share details behind his signing decision.
Sasaki spent the winter meeting with teams, hearing their pitches and ultimately a plan for how they would help jumpstart his career in Major League Baseball.
Sasaki’s decision ultimately came down to the strength of the Dodgers from the top down. Having a strong ownership group committed to winning and a great front office left the Dodgers as the clear favorites and appealed to Sasaki.
“I think the No. 1 thing that stood out was the stability of the front office,” Sasaki said.
With Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman at the helm, he’s ensured that top talent would regularly be added to the roster. That includes all phases of the Minor League system.
Other teams also have the player development that could hone his skills, but the Dodgers have pedigree, Hall of Fame talent, a clear dedication to winning and Sasaki’s biggest point of focus — clear stability.
After officially joining the Dodgers, they gained a No. 1 prospect in the sport, as Sasaki was ranked as Baseball America’s top Minor League talent ahead of the 2025 season.
In his final season with the Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki went 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. The 23-year-old is incredibly talent for his age, and to no surprise, was an appealing talent for every club while he has been scouted by the Dodgers’ front office since he was in high school.
What to expect from Roki Sasaki in 2025
Sasaki’s innings weren’t pressed to their limit in 2024, but that was mainly due to workarounds with some injuries. His standard schedule and the Dodgers’ plan of running a six-man starting rotation fit well together.
He is a polished prospect and should build on his body of work from this past year. One thing the Dodgers are likely to unlock is his fastball velocity, which took a step back in 2024.
Don’t expect the Dodgers to push him in his rookie season, but he should still see a middle of the rotation spot with the talent to eventually be a front-end starter.
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