Pitching phenom Roki Sasaki on his way to MLB

TOKYO — The best pitcher in the world (arguably) is heading for the MLB. Roki Sasaki, the 6’4” right-hander with the 100-mph fastball and nasty splitter — the man who nearly pitched two perfect games in a row in 2022 before being removed by his manager to start the ninth inning of the second game to protect his arm — is being posted by his team the Pacific League Chiba Lotte Marines.

Sasaki is only 23. And he somehow persuaded Lotte to post him and let him go to MLB to play. Lotte drafted and signed the highly-prized high school star five years ago and some people believe that Sasaki somehow wangled a promise from Lotte officials to post him to MLB, long before he reaches the 10-year international free agency mark, as a condition for signing.