Japanese media Sponizianex said on the 19th, "The shortest return of Chiba Lotte Sasaki Rocky, who was canceled from the registration of players due to poor condition of his right upper limb, has been postponed."
Sasaki, who has recorded 24 wins and 12 losses with an ERA of 1.99 in 55 games (343 ⅓ innings) in the Japanese pro baseball, is a special right-handed ace who throws fastballs with speeds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour and sharp folk balls. Already, many Major League teams are paying keen attention to the extent that scouts visit stadiums in every game to recruit Sasaki.
Sasaki showed amazing potential by achieving the youngest perfect game in the Japanese pro baseball history in 2022, recording nine wins and four losses with a 2.02 ERA in 20 games (129 ⅓ innings) this year, marking his career high. However, he has not been able to show as much growth as expected since then, as he has been hamstrung by injuries every time. Last season, he recorded only seven wins and four losses with a 1.78 ERA in 15 games (91 innings).
Nevertheless, Sasaki was angered by expressing his intention to enter the Major League through posting to the Chiba Lotte club after the end of last season. Chiba Lotte expressed its position that it cannot allow Sasaki to enter the Major League because he has not contributed properly to the club yet, who has not played a full season. Sasaki failed to reach an agreement in salary negotiations until the last of the Japanese professional baseball players, but the agreement was reached dramatically just before the spring camp, allowing him to meet his fans again.
After staying in Japan for this season after many twists and turns, Sasaki has won five games (59 ⅔ innings) and lost two games with a 1.96 ERA. His performance was good when he took the mound, but he was hamstrung again by the injury. After allowing one run and five hits, two walks, one strikeout, eight strikeouts and one run in seven innings at the match against Softbank on June 24, Sasaki was removed from the first division entry due to upper body fatigue after throwing 119 pitches. 메이저놀이터
After taking a two-week break, he won the game against Hiroshima on Saturday, allowing one run with three hits and one strikeout and one run in six innings. However, Sasaki was injured again even though he only threw 90 pitches. He did not take the mound at the match against Chunichi Dragons, which was scheduled on June 15, due to poor condition of his right upper arm. He is currently adjusting his condition in the second division league.
"Coach Yoshii Masato, who was interviewed after team training at ZOZO Marine Stadium, said, 'I can't do anything until there is a report that I can do it,' indicating that he will wait until Sasaki's late signature comes out. Sasaki can register as early as the 23rd, but he does not plan to accompany the first-team squad in the three consecutive Softbank games from the 21st," Sponizianex said, explaining Sasaki's current condition.
Sasaki, who is dreaming of entering the Major League, has never achieved the required innings so far. To go to the Major League, he has to prove that he is fit enough to play a full season. Attention is focusing on how Sasaki will finish this season after being stranded on an injured reef.