Japanese Pitcher Roki Sasaki Joins Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)--The Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday announced the signing of a minor league contract with Japanese baseball pitcher Roki Sasaki.

"I'm reminded that my journey is just about to begin, and it makes me feel more focused than ever," the 23-year-old, wearing a Dodgers uniform with his number 11, said at a press conference at Dodger Stadium the same day.

A total of 20 Major League Baseball teams, including the Dodgers, had asked for an interview with the right-hander, who switched to the United States from the Chiba Lotte Marines, a Japanese professional baseball team, using the posting system.

"I had the opportunity to speak to a lot of teams, and they had a lot of appealing features. But overall, when I looked at the general consensus, I thought that the Dodgers were at the top," Sasaki said through an interpreter.

"I spent the past month, both embracing and reflecting on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to choose a place purely based on where I can grow as a player the most," he said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]