The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers added another huge piece to their team by agreeing with prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki on Friday.

Sasaki, 23, was considered to be the best pitcher in the world not already with a MLB organization. His contract terms were not immediately clear after he posted his intention to sign with the Dodgers on Instagram.

The Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were the three finalists in the Sasaki sweepstakes. Sasaki had a second meeting with all three teams in their respective cities, with the Dodgers the winner.

He joins fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto with the Dodgers in a move that many baseball executives long expected.

Sasaki was made available to Major League Baseball teams by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan's Pacific League under the posting agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB. Because he is under 25 and does not have six years of service time in NPB, Sasaki is considered an international amateur by MLB and limited to a minor league contract subject to the signing pools.

The Marines will get a release fee calculated at 25% of the amount of Sasaki's signing bonus.

Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year, striking out 129 in 111 innings during a season limited by shoulder inflammation. He went 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 15 starts in 2023, when he had an oblique injury. He has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Marines and pitched a perfect game against Orix in April 2022.

The Dodgers are planning to use a six-man rotation, which could ease Sasaki's transition to MLB, as they attempt to become the first repeat champion since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.

Breaking: Roki Sasaki has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced on social media. pic.twitter.com/9kGkK5sVRy

— ESPN (@espn) January 17, 2025