Roki Sasaki makes highly anticipated NPB debut with Marines
The "monster" finally made landfall on May 16. Pitcher Roki Sasaki was Japan's most-hyped rookie in some time when the Chiba Lotte Marines won his rights in the 2019 draft. He didn’t pitch on the top team in 2020, but that didn’t slow the swell ...
Six players to watch in the Pacific League in 2021
Japanese baseball is back, which makes this a great time to single out a few players in the Pacific League who fans should keep an eye on this season.
Roki Sasaki's first bullpen session draws raves reviews from former major leaguers on Lotte staff
Thirteen days into spring training, 18-year-old Roki Sasaki threw 25 pitches on Thursday in his first bullpen session since turning pro this year with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Although the pitcher himself was less than impressed, he drew rave reviews from the former big leaguers ...
New pieces present Marines with chance to alter fortunes
The Chiba Lotte Marines have gotten a makeover. While the Marines may have missed out on the postseason this year (Lotte was fourth in the Pacific League), they haven't been idle during the offseason. There have been some changes to the team since the final out ...
Marines make high school hurler Roki Sasaki top pick in NPB amateur draft
The Chiba Lotte Marines took hard-throwing high school pitcher Roki Sasaki in NPB's amateur draft Thursday after four teams selected the teen talent who has been on the radar of major league clubs. The 17-year-old Sasaki's fastball has been clocked in competition at 160 kph ...
Flame-throwing high school pitcher Roki Sasaki said Wednesday he had registered for Nippon Professional Baseball's Oct. 17 draft and suggested he would play for any team that drafted him. The announcement, made during at a news conference in Iwate Prefecture, threw cold water on the ...
Controversy surrounding high school ace Roki Sasaki stirs up familiar debate
Ofunato High School was inundated with calls after its loss in the final of the Iwate Prefectural tournament on Thursday. But it wasn't a stream of commiserations and condolences pouring in — there were around 150 calls on the day of the school's 12-2 loss ...
Yu Darvish slams Japan's high school baseball system over not protecting players
Chicago Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish on Saturday criticized Japan's high school baseball system's failure to protect young ballplayers. Darvish, himself a nationally famous former high school pitcher, spoke at Milwaukee's Miller Park about the controversy surrounding one high school holding back its best pitcher on ...
Ofunato High School pitcher Roki Sasaki's shot at summer glory ends on bench
Hard-throwing high school pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is being heavily scouted by major league clubs, stayed on the bench to avoid injury as his team was eliminated from contention for a prestigious national title on Thursday. Sasaki, who threw a pitch at 160 kph on ...
Highly sought Japanese high school pitcher Roki Sasaki hits 160 kph
Highly touted right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki was clocked at 160 kph (99.4 mph) on Sunday for Ofunato High School in the fourth round of Iwate Prefecture's summer tournament. The third-year student, who was clocked at 163 kph at an April training camp, struck out 21 ...
