Los Angeles Dodgers land star Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki

Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old right-handed ace from Japan, signed with the MLB.

Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, the hottest international free agent in baseball, is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced on social media Friday.

The 23-year-old right-hander said he signed a minor-league deal. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"I have signed a minor contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers," he said on Instagram in a translated post from Japanese to English. "It was a very difficult decision, but I will do my best to make it the right decision when I look back after my baseball career. I want to slip my sleeve on the Dodgers uniform at the opening conference, thanking everyone who has supported me this far."

Sasaki is just the latest Japanese star to join MLB. Reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season after six years with the Los Angeles Angels. The franchise also brought in pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2023 on a 12-year, $325 million deal. Both were instrumental in Los Angeles winning the 2024 World Series. 

Sasaki's long-awaited signing follows a suspenseful offseason, during which teams including the, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants courted the young pitcher. For his initial meetings with teams, Sasaki requested that no players be present, prompting much speculation around his landing spot.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/roki-sasaki-mlb-baseball-japan-rcna188052

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