Roki Sasaki will miss another start this weekend due to discomfort in his right arm. His manager, Masato Yoshii, said there’s no set date for his return and it depends on how he feels.
Sasaki, 22, is a top pitcher globally. He became famous in 2022 after striking out 19 batters in a perfect game. Over his career in NPB, he has a 1.91 ERA and a 6.04 strikeout-to-walk ratio. This season, those numbers have slightly dropped to a 1.96 ERA and a 3.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
CBS Sports reported last winter:
“Sasaki has two massive offerings, an upper-90s rising fastball and a devastating splitter/forkball, and a shockingly good feel for throwing strikes based on his age and his stuff. He’s struck out 34% of the batters he’s faced as a professional, all the while walking just 5% of them.”
Possible MLB Transfer:
It’s uncertain if Sasaki will move to MLB this winter since the Marines might want to keep him longer for financial reasons. If he moves now, he’d be classified as an amateur free agent with limited earning potential due to international bonus pool limits.
Here’s how the posting fee works:
– Contracts under $25 million: The team gets 20% of the contract value.
– Contracts between $25 million and $50 million: The team gets $5 million plus 17.5% of any amount over $25 million.
– Contracts over $50 million: The team receives $9.275 million plus 15% of any amount over $50 million.
Fans might wonder if Sasaki’s talent will shine brighter in MLB or stay hidden longer in Japan.
If allowed to explore MLB options, the Los Angeles Dodgers are likely interested since they already have Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto from Team Japan.
What do you think about Sasaki’s possible move?
