Why the Dodgers and Roki Sasaki Were Always the Perfect Fit

While other teams could have offered a more prominent role early on, the Dodgers were always the optimal landing spot for Roki Sasaki.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 17: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 and Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers applaud fans prior to the exhibition game between Los Angeles Dodgers and Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 17, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)

The news has been broken by countless outlets. Baseball social media is in a frenzy. If you’re here to learn that Roki Sasaki has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, welcome.

If you already know and want to dig deeper into what this signing means for the Dodgers, their rotation, and their plans for 2025, you’re in the right place.

The 6-foot-3 right-handed flamethrower (topping out at 102.5 mph) is a 23-year-old Japanese phenom, regarded by some as the most talented pitcher ever to come out of Japan.

With just 394 ⅔ professional innings under his belt, Sasaki is far younger and more inexperienced than predecessors like Yu Darvish, Shohei Ohtani, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. 

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Sasaki’s arsenal is headlined by a blistering fastball and a devastating splitter – a one-two punch that quickly earned him the nickname “The Monster of the Reiwa Era.”

His stats back up the hype: in four seasons with Chiba Lotte in the NPB, Sasaki posted a 29-15 record with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts. His accolades include a 19-strikeout perfect game, outdueling Yamamoto in a 2023 start, and a starring role on Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Gold Medal team, where he struck out 11 batters over two starts.

The WBC gave fans worldwide a glimpse of the talent scouts are in awe of, but talent at 23 does not guarantee a long, fruitful career – it’s really just part of the equation.

His decision to join the Dodgers at such a young age speaks volumes about his commitment to development and his desire to be part of a winning culture – one that doesn’t require him to carry the weight of being “the guy” immediately.

Dodgers’ Edge in Signing Sasaki

Sasaki’s signing wasn’t just about money. Because he’s under 25, he was classified as an amateur free agent and could only sign a minor-league contract.

Despite having a smaller international bonus pool ($5.1M) than the other finalists – Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres – the Dodgers secured Sasaki through a combination of their established Japanese connections (e.g., Ohtani and Yamamoto), winning culture, and proven ability to develop talent.

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Casual fans will curse the sport and claim the Dodgers are ruining everything by signing everyone under the sun, but the Dodgers’ willingness to spend relative to other teams’ ownership is an argument and debate for another time because, in the case of Sasaki, it doesn’t apply. 

Also, by signing now, instead of waiting two years to sign for a nine-figure deal, he avoids the risk of injuries derailing his earning potential while positioning himself for a smoother transition to MLB life.

How Sasaki Fits into the Dodgers’ 2025 Plans

The Dodgers’ rotation heading into 2025 is an embarrassment of riches: Blake Snell, Yamamoto, Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and a host of others, including Bobby Miller, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Landon Knack.

If lifetime Dodger Clayton Kershaw opts to return, the rotation becomes even deeper. Of course, this means some really talented starting pitchers, who could honestly be frontline starters for some other teams, may not even sniff the rotation, or even the big-league roster unless the injury bug strikes. 

Maybe, this means one or some of Miller, May, Gonsolin, or Knack are on the trading block.

Maybe it means Sasaki will be on a tight innings limit, and some of those pitchers will be called upon to spot-start at certain points in the season.

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Maybe the Dodgers just want to have as many arms as possible at their disposal so that injuries can’t hurt the team. 

Nonetheless, with how the roster is currently constructed, this depth allows the Dodgers to comfortably employ a six-man rotation, a deciding factor for Sasaki.

Japanese pitchers typically start only once a week in the NPB, so adapting to MLB’s four-day rest schedule can be a challenge. The six-man rotation mirrors the NPB model more closely, easing Sasaki’s transition.

The Dodgers employed this approach with Yamamoto last season, as he exclusively pitched on five days rest, or more.

Sasaki’s role in 2025 will likely be that of a middle-rotation starter, free to dominate every sixth day while refining his craft.

Under the mentorship of veterans like Ohtani, Glasnow, Snell, and potentially Kershaw, Sasaki will have the support system to thrive without the immediate pressure to anchor the staff.

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A Long-Term Play

Sasaki’s signing signals a commitment by both player and team to prioritize growth. The Dodgers’ reputation for player development is second to none, and Sasaki will benefit from the organization’s resources.

While injuries to young pitchers like River Ryan, Gavin Stone, and Emmet Sheehan (all will miss the entire 2025 season) raise questions about their methods, the Dodgers’ ability to maximize talent remains a strong draw.

At 23, Sasaki has time on his side. Joining the Dodgers gives him the rare opportunity to integrate into MLB while surrounded by elite talent. The focus will be on adapting to MLB hitters, managing workloads, and navigating a longer season.