The Reiwa Monster
Roki Sasaki joined Lotte as the 2019 first-round pick from Ofunato High School in Iwate, where his 163 km/h fastball earned the Reiwa Monster title. Lotte carefully developed him with no first-team appearances in years one and two. His 2021 debut preceded full 2022 rotation integration. Sasaki's weapons were 160+ km/h fastball and forkball, with velocity ranking among NPB's fastest.
The April 10, 2022 Perfect Game
On April 10, 2022 at ZOZO Marine Stadium against Orix, Sasaki threw a perfect game. At 20 years 5 months, he became NPB's youngest perfect game pitcher. He recorded 19 strikeouts including an NPB-record 13 consecutive strikeouts. In 105 pitches, he retired all 27 batters with zero hits, walks, and errors. His fastball reached 164 km/h, leaving Orix's lineup helpless.
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Next Week's 8-Inning Perfection
Remarkably, Sasaki carried a perfect game through 8 innings against Nippon-Ham on April 17. Manager Iguchi removed him on pitch-count limits, preventing consecutive perfect games but producing an astounding 52 consecutive outs across 2 starts. The removal sparked debate, though protecting a young arm was rational. Sasaki's two-game perfection was unprecedented in NPB history.
Sasaki's Future
Sasaki joined the Dodgers via 2025 posting system for his MLB challenge. His 160+ km/h fastball and forkball are MLB-viable weapons, generating major expectations following Ohtani and Yamamoto. Sasaki's perfect game is eternally inscribed in NPB history, with a 20-year-old's overwhelming performance symbolizing Japanese baseball's bright future.