Mookie Betts “can’t wait” to welcome new Dodgers teammate Roki Sasaki with kind gesture

Mookie Betts and Roki Sasaki are now teammates. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the international sweepstakes for the young pitcher, adding him to a roster stacked full of former NPB talent. Sasaki hasn't yet arrived for Spring Training or anything like that, but Betts is excited to get to know his new teammate.

The Dodgers posted a reel in which Sasaki, speaking his native language of Japanese, introduced himself to the fans and followers on Instagram. It drew an excited reaction from many, including Betts himself.

Betts commented:

"I can't wait to take you to get milkshakes!!!"

Mookie Betts commented on Roki Sasaki's welcome video (Instagram/dodgers)

Sasaki, in the video, introduced himself and said he was happy to be a Dodger. He said he looks forward to meeting all of his new teammates and closed with a "Go Dodgers!" chant in English.

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Roki Sasaki's agent believes Dodgers had "home-field" in negotiations

Roki Sasaki seemed poised to join the Los Angeles Dodgers long before he actually did. The MLB found no evidence of tampering, so they didn't break any rules, but many believed that this deal was always happening.

The Dodgers had an advantage with Roki Sasaki (Imagn)

That, according to Sasaki's agent Joel Wolfe, was not the case. He said, via Newsweek, that Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave them a leg up, though it was not a case of there never being a chance for any other teams.

He continued:

"I think that the Dodgers do have a 'home field advantage' in Japan. I was in Japan many times over the last couple years, but especially this year.

"Every single Dodgers game is broadcast live. So when you wake up every morning in Japan, every (Dodgers) game is on TV because of (Shohei) Ohtani and (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto. They rebroadcast the games in the evening."

He added that there are pop-up shops for the Dodgers at NPB games in Japan, so it's not a big surprise that they're the most prominent team in Sasaki's country. He did consider signing with the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays before ultimately landing with the Dodgers.