The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their 2025 season in Tokyo, Japan next week, where they will take on the Chicago Cubs as part of MLB’s Tokyo Series. Star rookie starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is from Japan, is slated to start the second game of the two-game series overseas, with fellow Japanese flamethrower Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the mound in the first game.
Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki set to make history in MLB debut
For Sasaki, the start in his home country will be his MLB debut, which will put him in a spot in baseball history. According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Sasaki will become just the third-youngest Japanese-born player to make history MLB debut after playing in NPB in Japan.
Sasaki, 23, signed with Los Angeles in the offseason to join an already-loaded pitching staff. The right-hander features a deadly pitching arsenal that includes a blazing fastball and a devastating splitter.
The Dodgers have a loaded team in 2025
A fully healthy Dodgers rotation consists of three Japanese arms in Yamamoto, Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani. All three of them are capabke of being the ace of the pitching staff, and that is without mentioning two other ace-level starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and newcomer Blake Snell.
The Dodgers are looking to repeat the success they had last season in which they secured their second World Series title in five seasons. Behind their loaded rotation, they have a very strong chance at being the first repeat champions since the Yankees’ three-peat from 1998-2000.
Sasaki’s first Major League start is sure to garner widespread attention, and the Japanese faithful will be hopeful that he will put in a strong performance in front of his home crowd.