Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced Friday on Instagram. Sasaki, 23, was considered to be the best pitcher in the world not already under the employment of an MLB organization.

Sasaki, a 23-year-old right-handed ace, signed a minor-league deal to join the defending World Series champions.

Roki Sasaki agreed to sign with the Dodgers, he announced on Instagram Friday night, in a move many predicted since the highly coveted Japanese ace committed to pitching in North America during the 2025 season.

If top third base prospect Matt Shaw hits the ground running, and Chicago signs, say, Jack Flaherty before Spring Training, this team has the lineup depth and the star power at the top of the rotation to be awfully dangerous.

After a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox, the Dodgers re-acquired Hernández at the 2023 trade deadline. They then re-signed him ahead of the 2024 season to a one-year, $4 million deal and he had a late season resurgence, appearing in 126 games and slashing .229/.281/.373 with 12 home runs and 42 runs batted in.

The San Diego Padres are reportedly taking taking interest in signing a World Series champion after missing out on Roki Sasaki.

Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki chose to sign with the Dodgers, he announced. That leaves the Padres to face an uncertain path in the months leading up to the 2025 season and to face the reality of their closest and most irksome rival going forward with yet another star player.

Roki Sasaki was expected by many to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were right. The flame-throwing right-hander from Japan agreed to a deal with the Dodgers on Friday, according to a post on his Instagram account.