The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, fresh off their 2024 World Series victory and boasting one of the most formidable rosters in baseball. The team’s headline acquisition was Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki, whose arrival was anticipated to strengthen an already dominant rotation further. As the season unfolds, top online sportsbooks on gambling site reviews list the Dodgers as between +220 and +240 betting favorites to win the 2025 World Series, making them the most favored team in over two decades. Yet, Sasaki’s rookie campaign has not gone as planned, with injuries and adjustment struggles casting uncertainty on his immediate impact and the Dodgers’ quest to repeat as champions.
The Rise of Roki Sasaki: From Tragedy to National Phenomenon
Roki Sasaki’s journey to Major League Baseball is as remarkable as his talent on the mound. Born in 2001 in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, Sasaki’s early life was shaped by tragedy. In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed the lives of his father and grandparents and destroyed his family’s home. Sasaki, his mother, and two brothers survived, eventually relocating to Ofunato, where he began to channel his energy into baseball.
Sasaki’s prodigious abilities became evident in high school, where he set a Japanese record with a 101 mph fastball. After being selected first overall by the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 2019 NPB draft, he was carefully developed, making his professional debut in 2021. His breakout moment came in 2022, when he threw a perfect game, tying the NPB record for strikeouts in a game (19) and setting a new world record for consecutive strikeouts (13). By the time he was posted for MLB teams in late 2024, Sasaki had compiled a 2.10 ERA over four NPB seasons and was considered the best pitcher in the world not already in the majors.
The Dodgers’ Pursuit: How Los Angeles Landed the Monster of the Reiwa Era
Sasaki’s posting in November 2024 triggered a frenzy among MLB teams. The Dodgers emerged as the frontrunners, fresh off their World Series triumph and already home to Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The club’s pitch to Sasaki was as much about legacy and community as baseball. During a high-profile meeting at minority owner Peter Guber’s Bel Air home, Sasaki was introduced to the Dodgers’ core of long-term stars, with Ohtani even bringing his dog to help break the ice. The Dodgers’ vision was clear: they wanted to win and aimed to become the team of choice for Japanese baseball fans and players alike.
However, MLB’s international signing rules limited what the Dodgers could offer Sasaki because he was under 25 and classified as an international amateur, subject to bonus pool restrictions. The Dodgers executed trades, including sending outfielder Dylan Campbell to the Phillies, to amass enough bonus pool space to offer Sasaki a $6.5 million signing bonus—the maximum allowed under the rules. Sasaki ultimately chose Los Angeles over other finalists like the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, citing the Dodgers’ winning culture, their Japanese connections, and the opportunity to develop without the pressure of being the lone franchise savior.
Early Days in Dodger Blue: Promise Meets Adversity
Sasaki was immediately slotted into the Dodgers’ starting rotation, making his MLB debut in the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs on March 19, 2025. He showed flashes of his potential, touching 99 mph with his fastball and striking out three in his first outing. His first major league win came on May 3 against the Atlanta Braves.
However, the transition to MLB has not been seamless. Over his first eight starts, Sasaki posted a 1-1 record with a 4.72 ERA, 24 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 34.1 innings. His velocity, which routinely reached 100 mph in Japan, dipped to an average of 96 mph and even lower before his stint on the injured list. Command issues and a lack of sharpness on his signature splitter further hampered his effectiveness, with his expected ERA ballooning to 6.10. The Dodgers, dealing with a rash of injuries to their rotation, leaned on Sasaki perhaps more than they had hoped, contributing to his struggles.
Injury Setback: The Shoulder Impingement
On May 13, 2025, the Dodgers placed Sasaki on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement, an injury that had also limited him during his final season in Japan. The diagnosis followed a stretch where Sasaki’s velocity and command noticeably declined, and he reported discomfort in his shoulder after his last two starts. Manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior acknowledged that Sasaki had been pitching through pain, and that the team would prioritize his long-term health over any immediate return.
Sasaki is rehabbing and expected to begin throwing again soon, hoping to return to the mound by late June. Both the team and Sasaki have expressed optimism that the time off will allow him to reset physically and mentally. Prior suggests that a fully healthy Sasaki could still become the dominant pitcher the Dodgers envisioned.
The Dodgers’ Championship Odds: Still the Team to Beat?
Despite Sasaki’s injury and a rotation beset by other ailments, the Dodgers remain the consensus favorite to win the 2025 World Series. Top online sportsbooks on gambling site reviews list the Dodgers as the +240 betting favorite to win the 2025 World Series, the shortest odds for any team in over 20 years. Bettors and analysts continue to back Los Angeles, buoyed by their deep roster, elite lineup, and the expectation that their pitching staff will be at full strength for the postseason.
Yet, history cautions that even overwhelming favorites are not guaranteed to repeat. The last time a team had shorter preseason odds was the 2003 Yankees, and only three teams with the top preseason odds have won the title in the past two decades. The Dodgers’ ability to overcome injuries, including Sasaki’s, and integrate their new talent will be tested as the season progresses.
Looking Ahead: Sasaki’s Role in the Dodgers’ Quest
Roki Sasaki’s first months in MLB have been a lesson in patience and adaptation. The Dodgers, for their part, are taking a long-term view, confident that their investment in Sasaki will pay dividends as he adjusts to the major leagues and regains his health. With a rotation that could feature a healthy Sasaki alongside Ohtani, Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles still boasts unmatched pitching depth.
As Sasaki works his way back from injury, the Dodgers’ championship hopes remain undiminished in the eyes of oddsmakers and fans. If he can rediscover the form that made him the Monster of the Reiwa Era in Japan, Sasaki may yet be the difference-maker in the Dodgers’ pursuit of back-to-back World Series titles. For now, the baseball world waits to see if the most hyped international pitching prospect in years can overcome this early adversity and fulfill his immense promise on the game’s biggest stage.
