MLB's Sasaki sweepstakes

[Anchor]

The biggest interest in the Major League Baseball offseason is which team Japanese fastball pitcher Sasaki will join and how well he will perform in the Major Leagues.

Since he is under 25 years old, he is subject to a low salary cap, which has led all teams to pursue Sasaki, with the LA Dodgers and San Diego competing until the end.

As seen in his incredible strikeout rate, the prevailing opinion is that he will immediately succeed in the Major Leagues, although there are concerns about his stamina.

Reporter Han Seong-yoon has the details.

[Report]

At just 23 years old, Sasaki, who throws at a top speed of 165 km/h, has a salary of only $760,000, or about 1.1 billion won, making him an attractive acquisition target.

He gained attention in high school by throwing 160 km/h, achieved a perfect game in the pros, and made a strong impression in the world baseball scene by performing well in the WBC.

[Jeong Woo-joo/Hanwha rookie pitcher: "He proved himself with a perfect game at that age, and I think he has pitching and breaking ball skills that are not inferior to those in the U.S., so I often look for videos of him as a role model."]

Sasaki's career strikeout rate in Japan is 32.4%, the highest ever, and he recorded an astonishing 39.1% in 2023.

This performance far exceeds the records of fastball pitchers representing the Major Leagues.

The highest strikeout rate records of Japanese ace pitchers like Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Imanaga do not even reach Sasaki's average strikeout rate.

Japanese pitchers often see an increase in strikeout rates in the Major Leagues, further raising expectations for Sasaki's potential.

[Kim Won-jung/Lotte: "Since he pitches so well, I think he will do well, of course."]

[Park Yong-taik/KBS N baseball commentator: "I don't know the results, but I think he has enough competitiveness."]

Most of his pitches are thrown outside to the batters, resulting in a relatively low home run rate.

However, the high batting average against pitches in the middle high zone could be a weakness in the Major Leagues, where hitters are adept at attacking high pitches.

The drop in average velocity from 159 km/h in 2023 to 156 km/h last year is also emerging as a concern.

Additionally, suffering from injuries every year and never completing a full inning during his time in Japan is a chronic weakness.

Evaluations are mixed, with some seeing him as a Cy Young candidate on par with fastball pitcher Paul Skenes, while others predict he will only be an average starter.

With the LA Dodgers being the frontrunner, the competition for acquiring Sasaki, with San Diego and Toronto in pursuit, will be finalized by Jan. 24.

This is Han Seong-yoon from KBS News.