The wait is over Major League Baseball fans, and the speculation can finally be put to rest: Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While it will technically be a minor-league deal due to MLB’s international bonus pool system, make no mistake—Sasaki is a major-league talent who will almost certainly be in the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation, barring any unexpected setbacks.
The deal includes a $6.5 million signing bonus, making Sasaki one of the most exciting additions of the offseason. The Dodgers haven’t officially announced the signing yet, but with a January 23 deadline, finalizing the agreement is only a matter of time.
Roki Sasaki Chooses the Dodgers
Sasaki’s decision to join the Dodgers isn’t exactly shocking. However, it does cap off an offseason filled with intrigue. Despite late pushes by the San Diego Padres and the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers always seemed like the logical destination.
They’re a team with deep pockets, a winning culture, and a West Coast location that often appeals to players coming from Asia. Add to that a star-studded roster featuring fellow Japanese players Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the fit couldn’t be more natural.
For Sasaki, this move is less about maximizing his payday and more about getting to the big leagues as soon as possible.
The 23-year-old phenom had the option to wait until he turned 25, which would have allowed him to bypass the international bonus pool restrictions and sign for an uncapped amount.
That decision would have been much like Yamamoto’s when he secured a $325 million deal from the Dodgers last offseason. Instead, Sasaki chose to take the fast track, even if it meant a more modest $6.5 million bonus.
Why the urgency? It’s simple: Sasaki wants to compete against the best as soon as possible. And with his jaw-dropping talent, it’s easy to see why he’s ready to make the jump.
Roki Sasaki has been a force of nature since debuting in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 2021 at just 19 years old. Armed with a triple-digit fastball and a devastating splitter, he posted a stellar 2.10 ERA over 394 2/3 innings across four seasons.
His ability to dominate hitters is highlighted by a staggering 32.7% strikeout rate and a minuscule 5.7% walk rate—numbers that would make even seasoned MLB stars envious.
What Roki Sasaki Means for the Dodgers’ Rotation
The Dodgers are getting Sasaki at a relative bargain. Not just in terms of his signing bonus but also in his salary structure. Sasaki will be earning the league minimum for the next few years as an amateur under MLB rules. This rule gives Los Angeles a high-impact arm at an incredibly low cost.
This is a dream scenario for a team already juggling massive contracts for stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.
From a roster perspective, Sasaki adds to what might now be the most talented rotation in baseball.
The Dodgers can now field a group that includes Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Blake Snell, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Sasaki himself. Let’s not forget the likelihood of Clayton Kershaw re-signing with the team.
But while Sasaki’s talent is undeniable, there are durability questions. He averaged fewer than 100 innings per season in NPB, never reaching 130 innings in a single year. Injuries in 2024, including an oblique tear and shoulder fatigue, further highlight the need for careful workload management.
The Dodgers, however, are no strangers to managing risk. They’ve consistently built their rotation around pitchers with top-tier upside, even if it means dealing with occasional trips to the injured list.
This signing not only strengthens the Dodgers on the field but also reaffirms their dominance off it.
Landing Roki Sasaki for a modest $7.8 million investment (including a $1.3 million posting fee to his NPB team, the Chiba Lotte Marines) is a masterstroke. For a player of his caliber, any team in baseball would have happily paid that price.
Tough Situation For the Other Two Finalist MLB Teams
This outcome is a tough pill for the Padres and Blue Jays. The Padres, already struggling with rotation holes, now face an even steeper uphill battle in the NL West.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays once again find themselves as bridesmaids in the free-agent sweepstakes, having missed out on Ohtani, Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, and now Sasaki in consecutive offseasons.
As for the Dodgers, their already-loaded roster just got even better. By adding Sasaki, they’ve ensured their rotation will be a strength heading into October—something that wasn’t always the case last year despite their World Series win.
With Roki Sasaki in the mix, the Dodgers are well-positioned for another dominant season, and their competition can only hope to keep up.
