Roki Sasaki arrives with unbridled ambition and the Dodgers have a plan to make sure it’s not a problem

Japanese pitcher set the bar too high from the moment he was introduced to the Los Angeles Dodgers, stating that he wanted to become the first pitcher from his country to win the Cy Young Award, which is given to the best pitcher in each of the two MLB leagues.

It sounds incredible to say that no Japanese pitcher has ever won the award despite the great history of Japanese pitchers, although the Reiwa Monsters player wants to change history.

For now, the manager of the current MLB champions is very happy with the ambition of his new young pitcher (23 years old), which is already an important addition to the rotation of starters for the Los Angeles team.

For now, Sasaki can only sign a minor league contract with a capped signing bonus due to his international amateur status.

Sasaki’s effectiveness in Japanese baseball

While this is his first year in MLB, he made his debut in the Japanese league in 2021, and in the last four years, he has achieved a 2.10 ERA in 394.2 innings thanks to his devastating fastball, which can reach triple-digit speeds.

In addition, he minimized walks to 5.7% and struck out 32.7% of the batters he faced. That was the figure that made Dodgers manager Dave Roberts bet on Sasaki as a Cy Young Award winner.

“Without a doubt, he has the ability to win the Cy Young Award. His fastball is really outstanding and he has good control. His fastball is his best pitch,” said Roberts, who is quite confident with Sasaki, according to NikkanSports.

However, Sasaki’s schedule is what is drawing attention, as it should be remembered that in MLB a starting pitcher works every five days, while in Japan it is only once a week.

But it seems that Sasaki will follow his Japanese schedule thanks to the Dodgers’ six-man rotation, so it is possible for Sasaki with a very special Dodgers pitching rotation

What to expect from Sasaki in 2025?

According to MLB expert Sarah Langs, Roki Sasaki is projected to have more than 150 strikeouts this year, along with two other pitchers: his teammates and compatriots Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani.

While Yamamoto and Ohtani are included in the rotation, Sasaki is not yet, which shows the strength of the Dodgers’ pitching division with names such as Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw.

Snell comes in with a 5-3 record and 145 strikeouts last year; Glasnow had a 9-6 record and 168 strikeouts in 2024, and Kershaw with 24. Together they have five Cy Young Awards, good company for Sasaki.

Connecting with multiple Cy Young winners will only propel Sasaki toward his coveted feat. However, with all these names in the starting rotation, Sasaki may have the flexibility to pitch once a week, and the Dodgers’ pitching rotation will be a force to be reckoned with this season.