Roki Sasaki makes feelings known about "very difficult decision" before embarking on MLB journey with Dodgers

After a lot of anticipation the moment that everyone looked forward to has arrived, as one of the most coveted international free agents this offseason has tied himself to a team.

Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki announced his signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. This leads to the conclusion of one of the most exciting free agency sagas of the offseason.

The post shared by Sasaki featured a Dodgers cap hanging with a seat, as he expressed himself in the caption of the post.

"I have signed a minor contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a very difficult decision, but I will do my best to make it the right decision when I look back after my baseball career. I want to slip my sleeve on the Dodgers uniform at the opening conference, thanking everyone who has supported me this far," wrote Sasaki. (Translated).

Rouki Sasaki is considered an amateur international free agent, which means that he has six years of club control and will earn a rookie salary in 2025. Also he will receive a $6.5 million signing bonus, according to a report by The Athletic.

After signing with the LA Dodgers, Rouki Sasaki faces a rollercoaster of emotions because his time in his home country, Japan, as a player has came to an end, as he is now headed to the United States of America for playing in the MLB.

Rouki Sasaki's addition to a stacked Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff

Roki Sasaki - Image Credit: Imagn

Roki Sasaki spent four seasons in the NPB with his former team the Chiba Lotte Marines. He left with a 2.10 ERA, 505 strikeouts in 394.2 innings and a dominant 102.5 mph fastball.

A huge challenge lies ahead of Rouki Sasaki, that is to fit into a fiercely competitive LA Dodgers pitching rotation and make a spot for himself. Sasaki has to achieve this in the presence of star pitchers like Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani, who will also pitch in the upcoming 2025 season.

It will be very interesting to see how a pitcher of Sasaki's caliber will fit into an already stacked Dodgers pitching rotation while fighting for a spot to get regular game time.