Dodgers Add to the Powerhouse by Signing Roki Sasaki

Dominic Gutierrez / MLB / January 17, 2025

Dodgers Add to the Powerhouse by Signing Roki Sasaki

I think we all knew this was happening, right? The Dodgers only goal is loading up a dynasty, and that gets a bit closer after the team signed Japanese phantom Roki Sasaki.

Sasaki announced the signing himself on Instagram. Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to share the news.

Roki Sasaki has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced. pic.twitter.com/VaACx1nZKa
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 17, 2025

Sasaki will earn $6.5 million, another steal for the Dodgers. Sasaki was in the international free agent pool, meaning teams could only use their international pool money to sign him.

The Dodgers had a little over $5 million heading into day one of the international signing period, which opened on Wednesday. That number goes up after the Dodgers acquired pool money from the Phillies for minor leaguer Dylan Campbell.

The Padres and Blue Jays were also considered “finalists” for the 23 year old. It seemed clear the Padres knew they were out when they started using their pool money on other players.

The Blue Jays on the other hand, genuinely thought they had a shot. The team recently acquired outfielder Myles Straw and $2 million in international pool space from the Guardians. You’d think the Jays would’ve learned when they whiffed on signing Ohtani, but an A for effort.

Can you blame him, though? The Dodgers don’t care about the cost of winning another World Series. Most of their free agents are on deferred contracts anyway. The team wants to win and they’re putting all their chips in.

It also helps when two of the biggest current Japanese stars in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto also made their way to the Dodgers. Both of them were in the ear of Sasaki, and it helped.

In four years in the NPB, Sasaki posted a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts in 394 innings pitched. With a dominating 100+ mph fastball and a devastating splitter, he’ll fit right atop the Dodgers rotation.

Don’t be mad the Dodgers know how to construct a team. Call it “buying championships” all you want, but I’d rather see ownership trying over being a cheapskate.