(Reuters) – Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki said on Friday he has agreed to join Major League Baseball’s reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
With a fastball that frequently touches 100 mph and a splitter that baffles hitters, Sasaki has shined in four seasons playing with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s top professional baseball league.
Sasaki, who would join compatriots Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the Dodgers, said on Instagram it had been a “very difficult decision”.
“I will do my best so that when I look back on it after my baseball career ends, I will think it was the right decision,” he added.
The Dodgers, who have not confirmed the deal, did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters seeking confirmation.
Considered one of the most talented young pitchers in the world, the 23-year-old went 29-15 with a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts in Nippon Professional Baseball.
According to multiple reports, 20 teams made initial pitches in December, eight conducted meetings with Sasaki, and the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres emerged as the three finalists.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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