Roki Sasaki is making the jump to Major League Baseball after signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent during the offseason.
The right-hander began his career in Nippon Professional Baseball, where he spent the last four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines and established himself as one of the most talented pitchers to come out of Japan.
As Sasaki prepares for his first season with the Dodgers, he is keeping close tabs on his hometown of Ofunato, Iwate, Japan. Firefighters are currently battling a wildfire that has destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate.
To help with relief efforts, Sasaki has donated 10 million yen (roughly $66,000) and 500 sets of bedding to those impacted by the forest fire.
The wildfire has already burned more than 2,000 hectares (5,000+ acres) of forest in Ofunato, making it the largest blaze to affect Japan since 1975.
Sasaki’s signing with the Dodgers coincided with the wildfires that ravaged through Southern California earlier this year. During his introductory press conference, the 23-year-old sympathized with Angelenos and vowed to give his best to the city.
“As I’ve also lived through a difficult time due to a natural disaster, I’ve always made sure to never lose sight of my goals and keep looking forward,” Sasaki said through interpreter Will Ireton.
“Los Angeles is facing challenging and difficult times right now, and as a member of the Dodgers starting today, I’m dedicating to give my best and strive forward together with the people of this city.”
Roki Sasaki makes Cactus League debut
Sasaki made his Cactus League debut with the Dodgers on Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds and did not disappoint.
Following Yoshinobu Yamamoto out of the bullpen, he finished with five strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Sasaki allowed just two hits and one walk while flashing electric stuff, including a fastball that topped out at 99 mph and splitter that had tremendous movement to both sides of the plate.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
