"More proof Roki Sasaki wasn’t close to Yu Darvish" - Fans buzz as Japanese ace's quotes on potential Shohei Ohtani reunion resurface

World Baseball Classic Championship: United States v Japan - Source: Getty
"More proof Roki Sasaki wasn’t close to Yu Darvish" - Fans buzz as Japanese ace's quotes on potential Shohei Ohtani reunion resurface - Source: Getty

The Los Angeles Dodgers added another ace to their rotation after Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki announced his decision to join the World Series winners on Friday.

Sasaki, an international free agent, is considered one of the most talented pitching prospects and was pursued by several MLB teams in the offseason. Dodgers' NL rivals, San Diego Padres, were also one of the strong contenders for Sasaki, with the young ace hailing Padres star Yu Darvish as his mentor.

The 23-year-old will join his senior Japanese teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in LA. Sasaki, who was part of Japan's WBC winning roster with Shohei Ohtani in 2023, had always dreamed of playing again with the three-time MVP.

Sasaki had made his admiration known, seemingly hinting at a potential reunion in an Instagram post in 2023, which has resurfaced since his announcement on Friday. He had captioned the post:

"With all the superstars we'll do our best to play baseball together again."

Fans reacted to the resurfaced post:

"More proof he wasn't close to Yu Darvish," a fan wrote.
This was so obvious..the people who thought he was going to go somewhere else 😂💀"
"Padres starting the year with another L," mocked another fan.

Several fans were fuming because the Dodgers landed another high-profile Japanese name after Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's addition last offseason.

"When you have to buy a legacy is it really that special?"
"Nobody wanted this."
"Just move the Dodgers to Japan already."
(Image source - IG)
(Image source - IG)

Shohei Ohtani reacts to Roki Sasaki joining him at Dodgers

Roki Sasaki won the gold medal with Japan in the 2023 WBC classic, sharing the podium with his now Dodgers teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Since Sasaki is under 25, he is eligible for a rookie salary in 2025 due to international bonus pool restrictions. Ohtani had also signed for the Los Angeles Angels under similar terms in 2017.

Ohtani reacted to the news of their reunion by resharing Sasaki's announcement post on Friday in his Instagram story. Freddie Freeman and other Dodgers players also reacted to the news on Instagram.

Sasaki will be part of a star-studded Dodgers rotation which will also feature Ohtani for the first time. Following his role as a designated hitter in 2024, the three-time MVP is set to resume pitching duties during the 2025 season.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
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