Japanese star Roki Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced on Instagram. The 23-year-old right-hander with a sizzling fastball and deadly splitter joins Samurai Japan teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto with the World Series champion Dodgers.

The race to sign Rōki Sasaki appears to be down to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. Per MLB insider Francys Romero, the San Diego Padres are

There's not much question that while Major League Baseball remains the most prestigious and competitive league in the world, several other international professional leagues have closed the gap. In light of this,

Sasaki, who has been one of the most intriguing ... season hitting more than 20% above league average — and is one of MLB's best defenders at his position. Possible fits: Astros, D-backs ...

RELATED: 2025 MLB free-agent rankings, team fits: Where does Roki Sasaki slot in? Sasaki can light up a radar gun. His fastball has clocked in over 102 mph in Japan and touched 101.9 at the World ...

Baseball fans have the same complaint after Japanese star pitcher Rōki Sasaki signed with the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLB free agency is here ... including Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki and slugging first baseman Pete Alonso. And as Soto himself knows, after being dealt to New York from the San Diego Padres ...

Baseball fans who grew up during the so-called "Evil Empire" days of the New York Yankees under George Steinbrenner could surely never envision a time

Editor's Note: The story below originally ran in November, after Roki Sasaki's NPB team pledged to post the Japanese star pitcher. Sasaki announced Friday he was signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation was decimated by injuries last season. They made a trade to bring in help, but after making additions and getting healthy, they could let their trade prize walk.

The splitter is on the rise in Major League Baseball, and the Dodgers are cornering the market. Splitters were thrown more often in 2024 than in any other season of the pitch tracking era, which goes back to 2008.

MLB teams have coveted Roki Sasaki since he broke Shohei Ohtani's Japanese high school record by reaching 101 mph with his fastball as a 17-year-old in 2019, part of a 194-pitch, 12-inning, 21-strikeout complete game in the national summer Koshien tournament.