All eyes on Roki Sasaki as star-studded Dodgers open spring training
PHOENIX — It was like a Paris Fashion Runway show on Wednesday, but instead of featuring the most beautiful models, the Los Angeles Dodgers showcased the most talented pitchers in the world.
There they were, one by one, with 23-year-old Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki pitching his first official bullpen session with the Dodgers in front of virtually the entire Dodgers organization.
Then it was two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell’s turn to take the mound alongside him, and despite his impressive credentials and five-year, $182 million contract, likely won’t even pitch the first two regular-season games in Japan.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Wednesday that Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki will likely be their starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.
“That tells you how many starters we have in here,’’ Snell said. “It’s crazy how good we’re going to be. I can’t wait to see what we really have.
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“I thought when I was I was in San Diego in ’22 that was the best team I’ve played on, but not like this.’’
And just wait until three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and three-time Cy Young winner and MVP Clayton Kershaw take the mound.
Ohtani, who said that his left shoulder still is not fully recovered from surgery, is expected to be limited to DH duties until at least May. Ohtani, who underwent surgery on his right elbow in September of 2023, is expected to throw his first bullpen session this weekend.
“I do feel like there’s some discomfort that I still have to overcome,’’ Ohtani said, after dislocating his left shoulder on a stolen base attempt in the World Series. “It’s not really debilitating … but there’s a limited range of motion. I’ve gone through it with the elbow before, but with the shoulder, it’s a little more complicated….
“But I do feel confident that I’ll be able to make it when our season opens.’’
Ohtani, who hit 54 homers and stole 59 bases last season, is anxious to start pitching again. He hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He could ramp up and be ready in April if he was actually needed, one official said, but why rush him when they can save him and make sure he’s fully rested and healthy for October?
This is why there are no plans for Ohtani to pitch in any Cactus League games this spring, or steal any bases. He’ll continue to DH in games, and once he’s ready to pitch and be a two-way player again, Roberts said, Ohtani will get a few more days off than in the past after missing just three games last season.
“I want to let the team dictate that,’’ Ohtani said. “I do want to play as much as possible, but if the team feels like I should get a break, I’ll follow that.’’
Kershaw has been working out with the Dodgers, but his one-year contract isn’t expected to become official until Thursday. He plans to address the media and disclose whether this could be the 18th and final season of his future Hall of Fame career.
“We went all-out this winter,’’ said Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow, who signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract last season. “This is incredible. It’s insane. We’ve got everything you could possibly want.
“The goal is to win multiple World Series.’’
In the words of Dodgers veteran Kiké Hernández: “This roster is more full than a Bad Bunny concert.”
The latest new attraction is Sasaki, considered to be the most talented 23-year-old pitcher on the planet, with a 102-mph four-seam fastball, a splitter that might be the best in the game and the potential to become one of the game’s biggest stars.
“Oh my gosh,’’ Dodgers veteran catcher Austin Barnes said after catching his bullpen session. “The fastball is a big fastball, it has a lot of carry and ride to it. The ball jumps at you.
“And the split-finger is different. I’ve never seen a pitch like that before. It’s hard to catch sometimes, it tumbles a lot, it moves all over the place. It goes in different directions.
“A crazy talent. It’s exciting to see what he’s going to do.’’
The Dodgers, who out-recruited the other 29 teams who all wanted Sasaki, signing him to a minor-league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus, certainly believe enough in his talent to start him in the Tokyo Series.
“Everything’s on the table, but I think it’s fair to say it would be to pitch in the second game of the season,’’ Roberts said. ‘But if it doesn’t line up, then it doesn’t line up. … We want to make sure he’s in a good position and feels good when he pitches. I don’t want to put him in a box right now.’’
It’s fair to say that the entire country of Japan will be clamoring to see one of their greatest young pitching stars making his MLB debut in his home country, with the added bonus that Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga will start one of the two games for the Cubs.
“The opportunity to open a major-league season in Japan is really special,’’ Sasaki said, “and being able to do that as a rookie is even more special. So right now, I’m just focused and prepared for that.’’
While getting acclimated from Japan to the United States can be quite difficult culturally, let alone adapting to the major leagues, a huge benefit to Sasaki is that Ohtani and Yamamoto can help the transition, making sure that he never feels isolated or confused.
They couldn’t help Sasaki’s first-day nerves, which caused a few pitches to be thrown over the head and wide of Barnes, but they can be calming forces throughout the season.
“This being my first day there’s a lot that I didn’t know,’’ Sasaki said, “so being able to talk to them beforehand, check how things would go, and then sort of being able to check with them as things go along was really helpful.’’
Sasaki, who was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year for the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Mariners, striking out 129 batters in 111 innings, doesn’t pretend to be a finished product. Not even close. He has two dominant pitches but hopes to add at least a slider, which could quickly make him one of the game’s elite pitchers.
“My fastball and splitter are sort of the faces of my arsenal,’’ he said, “and they weren’t initially as their best last year. So, I want to focus on just getting those back to their best and then mixing in the slider that will expand my repertoire as I go.’’
There’s not a baseball executive or scout who watched Sasaki pitch in Japan or in the World Baseball Classic who doesn’t forecast greatness. They say he might still be raw, but as far as pure talent, it’s as good as anyone they’ve witnessed, whether it was Dwight Gooden or Stephen Strasburg.
“Until I throw in the majors, it’s difficult to know how I will do and what’s needed for success in the major leagues,’’ Sasaki said. “So right now I’m just prepared on focusing on the things that I can improve on, the skills I need to work on. Then, once I’m able to actually pitch in games, I think I’ll find out.’’
So will the rest of the world, with his own teammates predicting greatness.
“I do feel confident that as long as he’s healthy,’’ Ohtani said, “that he’ll be able to perform well again. The important thing for him is to be acclimated to the environment that he’s in.’’
Well, it’s going to feel like home if he indeed makes his scheduled start March 19 at the Tokyo Dome, and then we’ll see where this unworldly talent will take him.
“I don’t think anybody knows the body of work that’s going to come this year,’’ Roberts said, “but I do feel that when he pitches, he’s going to be very good. He’s very talented.
“But I’m just as curious as everyone else is.’’
