by Cary Osborne
The Dodgers ended the Cactus League season on Tuesday with a 10–4 victory against Cleveland. They now head to Japan with some clarity.
It was already known that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be making the Dodgers’ Opening Day start against the Cubs on March 18 in the Tokyo Series. Manager Dave Roberts said Major League rookie Roki Sasaki will start for the Dodgers in the second game in his return to Japan.
“To follow up Yoshi with Roki I think it’s just a great story,” said manager Dave Roberts.
“He earned the spot,” Roberts added of Sasaki.
Sasaki started on Tuesday against Cleveland and threw four shutout innings, allowing one hit, two walks with two strikeouts.
In two Cactus League starts (the other on March 4), he threw seven shutout innings, allowed three hits, three walks, hit a batter and struck out seven. He induced 13 swings against his splitter and got 10 misses.
His Major League debut is now set for March 19 in the Tokyo Dome.
“To be able to pitch in Japan is going to be a really special and unique opportunity,” Sasaki said. “Obviously, being able to pitch in the Major Leagues is something that I’ve worked for a long time to be able to do. So I’m really excited.”
Dustin May is now slated to take the fifth starter spot for the Dodgers to enter the season in his return from 2023 elbow surgery and an esophagus tear in 2024. Tony Gonsolin, Roberts said, will begin the 2025 season on the injured list after he suffered a back injury lifting weights.
May will not travel to Japan so he can stay on his throwing program.
Hyeseong Kim, the infielder/outfielder signed out of the Korea Baseball Organization on Jan. 3, will begin the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Roberts confirmed on Tuesday.
Kim was 6-for-29 with a home run in Cactus League play.
“The last four games, days have been really good for him,” Roberts said. “He looks much more comfortable at-bat. The defense has been really good, and it was good to see him in center field. We feel that it’s most important for him to stay here, take at-bats, play in games to help him get ready for the season.”
Shohei Ohtani is being slow played in his return to pitching, but Roberts said he is still throwing. Ohtani the designated hitter is 6-for-18 with a home run in Cactus League play.
Spring Training 2025: Roki Sasaki earns Tokyo Series start was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.