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.

The Dodgers beat out basically all of MLB for Sasaki, who met with several teams to evaluate what they could bring to the table beyond money. The Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were reported to be the finalists, with the Dodgers and Padres seen as the co-favorites for most of the process.

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

Sasaki’s résumé in just a short amount of time in Japan is nothing short of legendary. During his tenure with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), he posted a jaw-dropping 2.02 ERA and racked up 524 strikeouts in just over 414 innings.

Right-hander Roki Sasaki, the covered Japanese free agent, has whittled down a list of suitors to two finalists, according to a report by veteran MLB reporter Francys Romero.

Roki Sasaki will sign with either the Dodgers, Padres, or Blue Jays. Here's how their pitching staffs would look with the Japanese sensation in the fold.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are now presumed to be the heavy favorite to land Japanese star hurler Roki Sasaki. The

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.

As Roki Sasaki searched for his MLB home, the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays were deemed the finalists to procure his services. While not yet officially announced, the defending World Series champions appear poised to win again.