The race to sign Roki Sasaki has officially begun, as the 23-year-old right hander nine day signing window is open with just three teams now in the running to sign him.
After informing teams like the Giants, Yankees and Mets that they were no longer in contention, the Dodgers, alongside the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, are the only teams that are on Sasaki’s radar.
Sonja Chen of MLB.com lists the pros and cons for why Roki Sasaki signing with the Dodgers, noting that the Dodgers multitude of injuries sustained to the pitching staff combined with Sasaki’s own injury history might deter him from signing with Los Angeles.
The Dodgers weathered many injuries to pitchers in 2024, especially in the rotation. It’s not a Dodgers-specific problem — it has happened all across the Majors and Minors in recent years. Sasaki has a recent injury history, having dealt with shoulder and oblique issues in the past couple of years, so this could be a point of concern for him.
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Hyeseong Kim will sport the no. 6 with the Dodgers after donning the no. 3 during his time in the KBO with the Kiwoom Heroes. The decision came in part due to Kim’s admiration for former Dodgers and current Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, who previously sported the number during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, per Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News.
Kim, who wore No. 3 in the KBO, will don No. 6, with Taylor having his South Korean number. Former Dodgers star Trea Turner wore No. 6, and Kim said Turner is one of his favorite players. “Hopefully, I can also play well wearing the same number as Trea Turner,” Kim said.
The wildfires that have struck multiple areas in the Los Angeles area have devastated communities and have left thousands of individuals left with no choice but to evacuate their homes.
The Dodgers announced via various social media accounts on Monday that they have teamed up with the other 11 professional organizations in Los Angeles to donate $8 million to those affected by the fires and to those fighting them.
For LA. pic.twitter.com/XrdH9QoapI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 13, 2025