The Los Angeles Dodgers secured Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki, an international free agent under 25. He will earn a rookie salary for the 2025 season, along with a $6.5 million signing bonus from the team. Additionally, Dodgers President Andrew Friedman shared insights into the persuasive pitch that helped convince Sasaki to join their clubhouse.
Major League Baseball has updated its criteria for two-way player designation. To qualify, a player must have pitched at least 20 innings and started at least 20 games as a position player, recording a minimum of three plate appearances in each.
On Monday’s episode of Dodgers Territory, Andrew Friedman delved into his recruitment pitch to Roki Sasaki, shedding light on how the Dodgers secured the Japanese phenom.
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"Yeah, I guess if someone is out two seasons, that's pretty significant in and of itself. But yeah, the two-way designation is incredibly helpful, you know, with the 13-pitcher limit. The two-way designation allows us to not count Shohei as a pitcher, which in turn allows us to have flexibility with our starting rotation and still maintain an eight-man bullpen," Friedman said. (18:41)
"And that was part of our pitch to Roki and something that we believed very strongly was no team was better equipped to bring him along in the major leagues than we were because of Shohei," he added.
Andrew Friedman also discussed about how the Dodgers team are extensively focusing on player health and giving their pitchers enough rest to perform in the games at their hundred percent.
So, for that reason, Shohei Ohtani is a huge asset for them and even helped them in signing Roki Sasaki.
"But with Joe, hey, you can have an eight-man pen to not put your relievers at risk and you can have flexibility on the starting front," Friedman said.
"And so that for us with Shohei coming back from injury with Yamamoto in his second year with Rokey, you know, with other guys, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin coming off injury, it just gives us some flexibility to read and react to what's going on and how guys are recovering, which we can't know as we're sitting here on February 10th."
Roki Sasaki is listed as the 'must-watch' pitcher in spring training
According to MLB.com, Roki Sasaki is at the top of the 'Must-Watch Pitchers in Spring Training list' uploaded on MLB Network's X account. Sasaki also surpassed the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, Paul Skenes.
Sasaki made a lot of noise when he entered the open market. However, the 23-year-old opted to shake hands with the Dodgers' front staff after his NPB club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, posted him.
With the spring training coming up, Sasaki will get to show his skills to the Dodgers fans, and he's one of the most hyped players in the major league. He will join Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow in the starting rotation in the 2025 season.
The Dodgers are busy with their camp as they have an opening series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19.