Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki has signed a minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus. Sasaki was highly sought after by MLB teams, with the Blue Jays and Padres as finalists. He posted impressive stats in the Nippon Professional Baseball league and threw a 19-strikeout perfect game in 2022. Due to MLB rules, his signing bonus was capped, but the Dodgers acquired additional bonus pool money to reach the agreed amount. Sasaki’s potential as a starting pitcher is high, and he is expected to join the Dodgers’ rotation, which may include a six-man setup to accommodate his workload. The Dodgers may consider trading May or Gonsolin, both of whom missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. Sasaki, who played with Ohtani and Yamamoto on Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic-winning team, chose to join the defending champions and play alongside Ohtani in 2025, despite having Yu Darvish as a mentor.
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Roki Sasaki signs with Dodgers: Japanese ace agrees to deal with World Series champs
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