Mets international free agent target dazzles in debut with Dodgers

New York Mets international free agent target Roki Sasaki dazzled in his spring training debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mar 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While the New York Mets are dealing with injuries to two of their top starting pitchers, the Los Angeles Dodgers witnessed the spring training debut of top international free agent Roki Sasaki.

The Mets showed interest in bringing Sasaki into the fold in the offseason and had the capability of doing so. Even after signing Juan Soto to the largest contract in professional sports history, Sasaki fell under the category of international free agents whose signing bonuses are minimal, making him theoretically available for any team.

Even though any team had the opportunity for Sasaki, he ultimately landed with the Dodgers. Quickly becoming the Evil Empire of this generation, the Dodgers have the best 26-man roster in MLB on paper, and it is really hard to argue against that.

Japanese star Roki Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced on Instagram. The 23-year-old right-hander with a sizzling fastball and deadly splitter joins Samurai Japan teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto with the World Series champion Dodgers.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 17, 2025

It is an embarrassment of riches in Los Angeles, and the hype was justified when the Japanese phenom made his spring training debut Tuesday night. Facing the Cincinnati Reds, Sasaki pitched three innings of scoreless baseball allowing only two hits and striking out five.

The first pitch Sasaki threw lit up radar guns and cellular phones, reaching 99.2 MPH. The fans in attendance were in awe, and those who were otherwise indisposed and not able to watch the game found out about it shortly after through a plethora of smartphone notifications.

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"It was a combination of [adrenaline and improved mechanics]," Sasaki told reporters after the game through interpreter Will Ireton. "I really worked hard in the lab, dug into the mechanical aspect of my form and things I do well and things I wasn’t doing well."

Roki Sasaki strikes out 5 in his #SpringTraining debut. pic.twitter.com/RWUPHApuFS

— MLB (@MLB) March 5, 2025

The young phenom is currently expected to make one more spring training appearance in the Dodgers' Cactus League finale. While 28 other teams will continue spring games, the Dodgers will be traveling to Japan to take on the Chicago Cubs in the first regular season series of 2025. Sasaki is currently slated to make his Major League debut in that series.

"Obviously, he's pitched in a lot of big games in his career," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the game, "but [that was] also in an environment where he's comfortable. This is something that's all new to him, and so he's learning on the fly. And we're asking a lot of him, but there's a lot of confidence supporting him."

Sasaki could have played a big role in the New York Mets rotation this year, especially with injuries sidelining Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea to open the season. Instead, he will be leaving his mark in his rookie campaign for the reigning, defending, undisputed World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.