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By Valentina Martinez
Contributing Sports Writer
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Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki is expected to be on Team Japan's roster for the World Baseball Classic, per MLB insider Francys Romero.
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The 24-year-old is on Japan's preliminary roster and should make the final roster with no problem. Sasaki will join Shohei Ohtani on Team Japan. The Dodgers' two-way star announced he would be representing his home country via Instagram in November.
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Ohtani sent a message to the fans, thanking them for their support. He added in the caption: "Happy to play and represent Japan again."
In 2023, both Ohtani and Sasaki represented the country. Sasaki is now expected to play a role for Japan once again. The right-hander made two starts for Team Japan in 2023, posting a 3.52 ERA with 11 strikeouts.
The young Dodgers pitcher is coming off a huge first season in LA. The story of Sasaki during the 2025 season seemed like it was penned from a Hollywood script.
The rookie initially struggled with the Dodgers, sporting a 4.72 ERA through his first eight starts in the big leagues. Sasaki's splitter, which was deemed unhittable, didn't have the same punch, and his command was off.
The Japanese fireballer's struggles on the mound were concerning, given he was the crown jewel of the international free agent market ahead of the 2025 season.
Nevertheless, Sasaki landed on the injured list in May, and his recovery time from a shoulder impingement proved to be a turning point for the rookie.
Sasaki returned to the Dodgers just in time for the postseason; however, the rookie was given a new role with LA. With the bullpen's ongoing struggles, the Dodgers turned to their starting pitchers for reinforcements.
Sasaki emerged as a secret weapon for LA, sporting a 0.84 ERA across 10.2 innings of work in October. The right-hander allowed just one run through nine appearances in the postseason.
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Despite his success as a Dodgers closer, Sasaki is expected to return to the starting rotation in 2026. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman essentially confirmed the right-hander will be featured in the Dodgers' rotation next season.
"I think for us, [using Sasaki as a reliever] was about trying to get his delivery back. I feel like we made a lot of progress on that," Friedman said in November. "So for us, we’re definitely viewing him as a starter and a really good one, and we’ll continue to work this offseason and put him in the best position to be ready in Spring Training to help us win again.”
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