The Return of Shohei: Ohtani’s Recovery Plan Unveiled
The Dodgers last offseason signed the best pitcher in Japan when Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined Los Angeles as a free agent. That opportunity is upon them again potentially this offseason, as 23-year-old right-hander Roki Sasaki will be posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines.
The NPB team made the announcement late Friday night that they have begun the process of posting Sasaki
“Ever since he joined the team, we have heard from him that he dreamed of playing in America,” Chiba Lotte general manager Naoki Matsumoto said in a statement. “After making a comprehensive judgment over the past five years, we have decided to respect his wish. We hope he will do his best as a representative of Japan. We are rooting for him.”
Sasaki had a 2.35 ERA in 18 games this season, with 129 strikeouts and 32 walks in 111 innings, which in a relative sense was his worst season as a professional, to give an idea of how talented he is. Sasaki in NPB had a 2.02 ERA with 524 strikeouts and 91 walks in 414⅔ innings, and turned 23 years old last Sunday.
