Roki Sasaki became the latest star to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, joining a star-studded rotation for a club coming off a 2024 World Series title.
While most of the MLB world outside the Los Angeles area wasn’t thrilled to learn of Sasaki’s decision, Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson certainly was excited. The Los Angeles Lakers legend welcomed Sasaki to Dodger Stadium by gifting him a signed No. 32 Magic Johnson jersey.
The jersey had Johnson’s career accomplishments written inside the numbers: three-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA champion and 1992 “Dream Team” member with his signature scribbled on the bottom of the No. 2.
The 23-year-old Sasaki is one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in baseball. In 18 games with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japan Pacific League last season, Sasaki went 10–5 with a 2.35 ERA and whiffed 10.5 batters per nine innings.
Sasaki now joins a talented starting rotation already featuring Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Tyler Gonsolin, Dustin May and Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers are set to begin the 2025 season with a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
