MLB world reacts to insane Roki Sasaki performance

Whatever you were doing at the age of 21, it more than likely didn’t involve throwing 100-plus mph strikes on an international stage.

For Japanese ace, Roki Sasaki, he was doing that and then some on Monday night.

While Japan took on Mexico during the World Baseball Classic semifinals, we all got to see what the hype was all about. Everyone reacted accordingly.

Sasaki came as advertised. He threw consistent fastballs, all of which were measured over 100 mph. An average velocity of 100.5 mph.

Roki Sasaki has thrown 20 fastballs. Here is the velocity on them.

101.8
101.7
100.9
100.9
100.8
100.8
100.7
100.7
100.6
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.4
100.3
100.2
100.2
100.1
97.4

Yes, you're seeing that correctly: 19 of 20 at 100 mph-plus. Average velocity: 100.5 mph.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 20, 2023

Of course, many scouts were in attendance. Those alike described Sasaki’s fastball as something otherworldly.

A long-time evaluator once described Roki Sasaki's fastball to me as "the best fastball you will ever see in your life. Seriously." So there is that. https://t.co/yMQIc4vzyj

— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) March 20, 2023

His age was a big topic of discussion, too. Especially how it compared to what Major League Baseball pitchers did last season.

Roki Sasaki is 21. Last year, there were five (5) total innings thrown by pitchers 21 and younger in MLB.

— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) March 21, 2023

Sasaki and his teammate, two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, share one big thing in common. They are the only two Japanese pitchers to ever throw a pitch of the same velocity. (102.5 mph)

In a WBC warmup game, Rōki Sasaki threw this pitch at 102.5 MPH! He and Shohei Ohtani are the only two Japanese pitchers to ever throw a pitch so fast! pic.twitter.com/AlhstkPz1Q

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) March 4, 2023

Sasaki also broke the Japanese high school record with a fastball recorded at 101 mph.

https://twitter.com/MarlyRiveraESPN/status/1637965273549422596

When comparing what he can do to MLB starters, he’s in a very small group of pitchers who have a strikeout that measured at least 102 mph:

101.8 mph strikeout for Roki Sasaki to start (tv scorebugs round! everyone's right!)

full list of MLB starters with a K at least that fast under pitch tracking (2008):

Hunter Greene (4)
Justin Verlander (2)
Noah Syndergaard

btw, Ohtani had a 102.0 mph K this WBC https://t.co/QsFSvq0zHK

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 20, 2023

His secondary pitches appear to have a high velocity as well, especially his splitter.

Roki Sasaki's scoreless first inning against Mexico's Randy Arozarena, Alex Verdugo and Joey Meneses, all big leaguers, told by velocity:

100.8
100.5
91.6
91.7
101.8
93.0
92.7
100.5
101.7
91.7
91.4
91.6

The fast ones are fastballs. The others are splitters. Sitting at 92-93 🫠

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 20, 2023

Just last year, he threw a perfect game. A 19-STRIKE OUT perfect game when he was just 20 years old.

#佐々木朗希 投手、全アウトまとめ！
NPB史上28年ぶりの完全試合達成、NPBタイ記録の1試合19奪三振、NPB記録更新の13者連続奪三振！#chibalotte #MarinesBaseball #BLACKBLACK #MarinesGoodPitch pic.twitter.com/TnN0mgkQIG

— 千葉ロッテマリーンズ (@chibalotte) April 10, 2022

And it appears he’s also just a really nice guy.

Great moment: Rōki Sasaki thanked his fielders after the top of the first — even though, to be fair, he did not need much help. ⁦@MLBNetwork⁩ ⁦@WBCBaseball⁩ pic.twitter.com/psg7QjKNxN

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 20, 2023

He is human after all, however.

Mexico’s Luis Urías hit a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to take the lead.

Sasaki went 9-4 with a 2.02 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 129 1.3 innings (490 batters faced) with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2022, his first full season playing in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Before you run to the fantasy baseball draft boards, take a breath. There isn’t a specific timeline for him to play in MLB, a dream of his.

It’s possible he doesn’t have a chance to play in the states until the 2027 season when he’s 25. That’s if he waits for the Japanese posting system to lift. If he doesn’t wait, he could be posted for major-league clubs before that.

That’s when MLB negotiations can begin.

Until then …