Roki Sasaki did what everybody anticipated him to do all alongside — he picked the Los Angeles Dodgers. The defending World Sequence champs simply added the favourite to win the NL Rookie of the Yr award and top-of-the-line pitchers on this planet, at the very least when he’s wholesome. They gained the World Sequence with simply three functioning beginning pitchers, and proper now, they’ve six.
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Roki Sasaki publicizes he is signing with the Dodgers
Sasaki dominated NPB hitters within the final two years when he was in a position to pitch, making 33 begins and throwing 202 innings throughout 2023 and 2024. He’s been as much as 102 mph along with his four-seamer with some operating motion to it, and he pairs it with an out-pitch splitter that grades out as a 70 or an 80 (on the 20-80 scouting scale), with little or no spin and a few heavy, late tumble to it.
A few of his splitters have horizontal motion as effectively, and it appears to be like like he can alter the form relying on the hitter. He additionally has a 90- to 92-mph slider that’s extra of a mean pitch, serving as a special look from the cut up or fastball however with no very tight break and with low spin charges. New teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw 90 innings in 2024 and his pitching was price 1.7 rWAR/2.8 fWAR to the Dodgers; I’d count on Sasaki to be price at the very least that a lot in an equal innings whole, particularly since most MLB hitters have by no means seen him or that splitter earlier than.
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Roki Sasaki indicators with the Dodgers: MLB consultants talk about his match and the fallout
Sasaki peaked at 129 innings in 2022, making 20 begins, and frolicked on the injured record within the final two years. The 2023 harm was to an indirect muscle, whereas in 2024 the harm was described as “proper arm discomfort.” His velocity was down in components of 2024, which I’m positive was associated to no matter was ailing him, but it surely’s a priority when any pitcher who throws this tough misses time with arm issues.
The Dodgers have indicated earlier than this signing that they’re doubtless going to make use of a six-man rotation, largely motivated by the return of Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher, and that might additionally assist them handle Sasaki’s workload. If there’s one thing worse happening in his arm, or if the discomfort is only a harbinger of future harm, there most likely isn’t that a lot they’ll do to cease it — it’s the danger they should assume to attempt to get the three or so WAR he’ll produce if he throws 120 innings.
The Dodgers had been already the perfect crew within the league on paper, so this addition is extra a type of insurance coverage for his or her rotation as in the event that they determined there isn’t a manner they’re going to face by whereas their starters dwindle to simply three by the point the playoffs roll round. It will increase the hole, once more simply on paper, between them and the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres, and doubtless immediately hurts the Padres since they had been one of many golf equipment rumored to be excited about Sasaki.
The Toronto Blue Jays ended up bridesmaids but once more, sadly, and their loss is bigger than Los Angeles’ acquire. Sasaki would have modified a lot in regards to the franchise, making them higher this 12 months, after all, but additionally ending a stretch the place they appear to at all times are available in second on large signings — together with Ohtani a 12 months in the past. Sasaki wouldn’t have made them instantaneous contenders, however he would have made them higher, now and for the following a number of years.
(Picture: Sam Navarro / Imagn Photos)