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Everyone used the same word to describe Roki Sasaki
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Everyone used the same word to describe Roki Sasaki

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports  |  By Larry Brown  |  Last updated Mar 4, 2025 11:34 PM ET

Roki Sasaki made his Spring Training debut on Tuesday, and he left many people impressed. He looked so good that he had fans using the same word to describe him: nasty.

Sasaki pitched three innings in relief of Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. He allowed two hits, walked one and hit a batter while striking out five over three innings. He got up to 99 mph in velocity, and his stuff was causing batters to swing and miss. He also showed off his splitter, which had fans raving about how nasty he was.

Sasaki really is that nasty.

The 23-year-old pitched four seasons in Japan and went 30-15 with a 2.02 ERA during his pro career. He struck out 524 batters in 414.2 career innings. Sasaki pitched a perfect game in 2022 and holds the Japanese record with 19 strikeouts in a game. He also holds a world record for striking out 13 consecutive batters.

Sasaki was dominant in Japan. It won’t take long before we find out how well his stuff fares against MLB hitters. Something tells us he’s poised to enjoy plenty of success.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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