Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old pitching sensation, has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, potentially reshaping the team's future. Recognized as one of baseball's top prospects, Sasaki brings a formidable skill set, including a remarkable splitter and impressive strikeout-to-walk ratios, which have caught the attention of Baseball America. The Dodgers' strategic signing aims to harness Sasaki's talents while gradually increasing his workload.
Despite his slender build, Sasaki is known for his outstanding command on the mound. Over time, he may add more bulk to enhance his durability. With a 7.1 strikeout rate, he demonstrates an ability to effectively manage hitters. His fastball boasts notable velocity in the high-90s and maintains a good amount of movement, despite changes in its profile between 2023 and 2024.
Sasaki's splitter stands out as one of the sport's top offerings, earning an 80-grade from Baseball America. This pitch, complemented by his slider that he primarily uses against right-handed batters, adds depth to his pitching repertoire. Although his slider does not have a high spin rate, it remains effective in keeping batters off balance.
Sasaki's past performance in Japan reflects his potential and areas for growth. At age 20, he reached a career-high of 129⅓ innings pitched. However, there was a decline in his strikeout rate from 13.4 per nine innings to 10.5 last season. Despite this dip, the Dodgers see promise in Sasaki's abilities and plan to carefully manage his innings count, ensuring a gradual increase to maximize his performance and longevity.
Financially, Sasaki's team-friendly salary over the coming years enables the Dodgers to invest in his development without straining their budget. This flexibility allows them to focus on refining his skills and integrating him into their pitching rotation at a pace that suits both the player and the team's long-term strategy.
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