Crossing the Pacific Ocean and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers meant cultural and personal transitions for prized Japanese import Roki Sasaki.
But when Sasaki officially met the U.S. media in early 2025, he made it clear he and his newest fanbase had two things in common: baseball and grief.
Sasaki returned from the injured list this week just as a March 2025 story by the Dodgers’ official website resurfaced on social media. At the time, California was still recovering from the January 2025 wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area, an unfortunately familiar sight for their newest pitcher.
Nearly 15 years earlier, Sasaki lost his father, grandparents, and his family’s home in the March 2011 tsunami. He turned to baseball as an escape, just as so many others affected by tragedy often do.
"Los Angeles is facing challenging and difficult times right now,” Sasaki said in January 2025, “and as a member of the Dodgers, starting today, I am dedicated to give my best and strive forward together with the people of the city."
Baseball fans can support Roki Sasaki without rooting for the Los Angeles Dodgers
This might sound contradictory, but hear us out.
We just saw Mets fans overwhelmingly cheer for Pete Alonso, even after he smashed a game-tying home run. Citi Field cared far more about Alonso the player than it did the Orioles as a team. Had the Orioles somehow snuck into the postseason, we imagine there’d be plenty of Mets fans with even the slightest rooting interest.
The same principle — or, at least, an extremely similar one — easily applies to Sasaki. Forget the fact he signed with the reigning World Series champions and played a pivotal role during last year’s title run. He’s still a human being with emotions who went through a horrifically traumatic experience; nearly 20,000 people are believed to have died in the Great East Japan Earthquake, and over 2,550 people remained missing as of 2021.
And above all else, Sasaki hasn’t done anything wrong beyond struggling to hit the strike zone. But compare that to some of the other notable names we’ll see this postseason. San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ramón Laureano each served PED-related suspensions. Boston’s Jarren Duran has feuded with fans and media in a way Red Sox Nation eventually stopped defending.
We’ve long been critical of both Sasaki and how the Dodgers have refused to make him a full-time reliever. Dave Roberts confirmed earlier this week the 24-year-old will pitch out of the bullpen during the postseason, just as he did last October, and the first impressions were positive; Sasaki threw a scoreless inning and didn’t allow a walk against the Padres on Tuesday night.
We wouldn’t blame you for hoping the Dodgers lose in the NLDS. They’re a superteam seeking their third consecutive championship and fourth in six years. At least three players on the active roster — Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts — are widely considered locks for the Hall of Fame, and Tarik Skubal is well on his way.
But when Sasaki comes in from the bullpen, try not to be overly hard on him. Save your vitriol for the umpires and broadcasters.
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