Roki Sasaki Impresses in 'Electric' Spring Debut

Roki Sasaki's debut as a Los Angeles Dodger on Tuesday night was nothing short of spectacular, with his fastball clocking in at 98 mph and three shutout innings to his name. However, the true testament to his performance came from the words of the hitters he faced. Austin Hays described Sasaki's pitches as "nasty," TJ Friedl called them "heavy," and Austin Wynns simply said they were "electric." Sasaki's impressive outing also earned high praise from future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona, who termed the 23-year-old's first spring training appearance as "impressive."
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Sasaki, who joined the Dodgers in January after a competitive recruiting process involving the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, struck out five batters in the team's 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch. With just two weeks remaining before the Dodgers begin the 2025 MLB season in Japan, Sasaki's performance reaffirmed why the team is confident in starting him in the second game of the high-profile series. Having excelled with the Chiba Lotte Mariners over the past four years, Sasaki's transition to the Dodgers looks promising, and fans can expect more electrifying performances from the young pitcher.