Dodgers ace appeals to Japanese star’s desire for franchise with elite development

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The race to land Japanese star pitcher Roki Sasaki is nearing its boiling point, and one elite talent on the Los Angeles Dodgers recently turned the fire up on the proverbial pot.

Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow gives a strong pitch to Roki Sasaki

As a guest on “Foul Territory,” Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow revealed that he spoke with Sasaki as a part of Los Angeles’ final recruitment pitch and told him this about just how elite the team’s developmental structure is:

“If one of your main goals is to become the best you can possibly be… this is the place for you.”

“I think this is the best place to grow as a baseball player.”

Roki Sasaki, Yankees, Padres, Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays, Dodgers
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Glasnow is proof of the Dodgers’ elite development structure

Glasnow was already exhibiting ace-worthy play dating back to his tenure with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he boasted a sub-2.00 ERA in 2019 and sub-3.00 ERA in 2021, despite being limited to a mere 12 and 14 games respectively. Once the California native joined the Dodgers last season, he became an All-Star for the first time behind a career-high 168 strikeouts. Per Fangraphs, the 31-year-old also saw his average velocity on his sinker reach a career-high of 96.6 mph in 2024.

Seeing that Glasnow reached new heights in his career and saw discernible progress with at least one of the pitches in his repertoire, that testifies to how Los Angeles’ coaching staff and developmental resources can take a pitcher’s game to another level on the mound.

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Sasaki’s desire to be a great player in the Majors has incessantly been reported on throughout the offseason. He’s seeking a team that can bring out the best in him. L.A. may be just the franchise to do so. With the former Chiba Lotte Marines star’s decision now coming down to the Dodgers or the Toronto Blue Jays, Glasnow’s comments could help sway Sasaki to L.A. by Jan. 23rd.

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