Ohtani once eschewed the Dodgers for the Angels, and got stuck in a six-year playoff drought. The Dodgers’ new Japanese rookie phenom Sasaki made a different call.

The Dodgers cemented their status as the preferred MLB destination for NPB stars and transformed their rotation into a Mount Rushmore of Japanese pitching luminaries by winning the Rōki Sasaki sweepstakes.

Similar to how last winter was defined by the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes ... including Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki and slugging first baseman Pete Alonso. And as Soto himself knows, after ...

Sasaki, nicknamed in Japan as "the Monster of the Reiwa Era," struck out 11 batters in 7 and ⅔ innings with a 3.52 ERA during the 2023 WBC. In Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, he struck out 129 hitters in 111 regular-season innings for the Marines in the 2024 season.

The Toronto Blue Jays seemed pretty darn close to signing Shohei Ohtani. In an article written for The Atheltic, Ken Rosenthal not only reported that Rōki

Rōki Sasaki might be the best free agent still available for MLB. Here is everything to know about the Japanese superstar.

Rōki Sasaki is a highly talented Japanese pitcher, known for his blazing fastball and devastating slider. He gained major attention in 2022 after throwing a perfect game with 19 strikeouts. Sasaki is regarded as one of Japan's top pitching prospects and has attracted MLB interest.

With just two days before the window to sign him opens, the field for star Japanese right-hander Rōki Sasaki has narrowed.

We don’t blame you, Roki Sasaki, if the Dodgers‘ favorite pup had greeted us, we would have chosen the Dodgers too! The post Shohei Ohtani Tugged Roki Sasaki's Heartstrings With a Special Guest to Lure Him to Dodgers In Their Meeting appeared first on EssentiallySports.

On this night in December, Sasaki sat down for sushi with former Samurai Japan teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It was after he had his initial meeting with the Dodgers and just at the beginning of the 23-year-old’s transition to Major League Baseball.

Find out the latest Toronto Blue Jays trade rumors, including speculation about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s future and possible trade scenarios.