The Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to make another splash in the international market as they pursue Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki for the 2025 baseball season. The 23-year-old right-hander has garnered significant attention from MLB teams, with the Dodgers emerging as one of the frontrunners to secure his services.
Sasaki, who has been dubbed a “unicorn” in baseball due to his exceptional talent at such a young age, is set to decide during the international signing period that opens on January 15, 2025[12]. The Dodgers have reportedly made Sasaki a “major priority” for their offseason, with the President of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, expressing confidence in the pitcher’s potential to become “the best pitcher in the world.”
The pursuit of Sasaki aligns perfectly with the Dodgers’ upcoming trip to Japan to open the 2025 MLB season. In continuing MLB’s efforts to expand its global reach, the Dodgers will face the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series at the Tokyo Dome on March 18-19, 2025. This marks the second consecutive year the Dodgers will start their season overseas, following their 2024 opener in Seoul, South Korea. The Tokyo Series presents an excellent opportunity for the Dodgers to showcase their commitment to Japanese baseball and potentially introduce Sasaki to his home crowd if they succeed in signing him. The series will also feature other Japanese stars, including the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as well as the Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga].
World Series Odds and Prices
As the Dodgers prepare for their Japanese adventure, they enter the 2025 season as consensus firm favorites, according to casinos and sportsbooks listed at payid-pokies.net, to defend their 2024 World Series title. Fresh off their championship victory over the New York Yankees, the Dodgers have been installed as the betting favorites to win the 2025 World Series. According to various sportsbooks, the Dodgers’ odds range from +320 to +400, reflecting the team’s formidable roster and recent success. The Dodgers’ quest for a repeat championship is bolstered by their offseason moves, including the signing of left-handed pitcher Blake Snell. With a rotation potentially featuring Snell, Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Ohtani, the Dodgers boast what many consider the best top four starters in baseball[46]. This pitching prowess, combined with a lineup led by Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, makes the Dodgers a formidable force heading into the 2025 season.
The Competition
While the Dodgers are the clear favorites, several other teams are also in contention for the 2025 World Series. The Atlanta Braves, consistently among the top teams in recent years, are listed with odds ranging from +750 to +850. The Braves’ strong core of young talent and recent playoff experience make them a perennial threat in the National League. The New York Mets have seen their odds improve following the blockbuster signing of Juan Soto. With odds now sitting around +900 to +1000, the Mets are poised to challenge for supremacy in the competitive NL East. The addition of Soto to a lineup already featuring Francisco Lindor has significantly boosted their championship aspirations.
The New York Yankees remain a strong contender in the American League despite losing out on Soto. The Yankees’ odds range from +700 to +950, reflecting their offseason acquisitions of Cody Bellinger and Max Fried. The 27-time World Series champions are determined to end their title drought and return to the Fall Classic. Despite some key departures, the Houston Astros are still considered contenders, with odds around +1300 to +1600. Their championship pedigree and remaining core of talent keep them in the conversation for another deep playoff run.
As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on the Dodgers and their potential signing of Roki Sasaki. With their season-opening series in Japan and favorable odds to repeat as World Series champions, the Dodgers are set for another exciting year of baseball. However, with strong competition from teams like the Braves, Mets, Yankees, and Astros, the road to a repeat championship will be far from easy.
