Anything seems possible.
No-hitter?
A perfect game?
That’s the feeling Aki Sasaki experienced each time he stepped onto the mound during his remarkable run with the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Japan League.
His age—just 20 or 21—didn’t seem to matter.
His talent was simply undeniable.
After witnessing Sasaki’s prowess against the Angels recently, it’s easy to see that the now 24-year-old right-hander is stirring up similar anticipation in the major leagues.
He has started to mirror his previous form, showing notable improvements in both the speed and control of his fastball over the last few starts. In just two games, he hit the 100 mph mark with his fastball four times, averaging an impressive 98.4 mph, while also enhancing the effectiveness of his splitter and slider.
Once again, it feels as though anything is within reach for him, especially if he continues on this upward trajectory.
On the topic of his fastball speed, Sasaki expressed in Japanese, “I think it will increase.”
What led him to feel that way?
“It can reach 99 miles per hour without much effort,” he mentioned. “I’m getting closer to where I want to be in that regard.”
If he manages to throw even harder, who knows? He could replicate the complete games he had with the Marines back in 2022.
During his outing against the Angels, he nearly achieved a no-hitter. The first hit he surrendered came in the fifth inning with one out, when Nick Madrigal doubled over left fielder Alex Cole’s head.
Sasaki allowed just two hits and two walks through seven innings, leaving the Angels scoreless.
To be fair, the Angels aren’t exactly a strong team overall. Sasaki had a strikingly similar performance against them just three weeks prior, throwing seven scoreless innings in Anaheim.
But what differentiated this start from the last was his execution.
There was power.
He was aggressive.
By the end of the game, Sasaki struck out a career-high 10 batters.
It’s been a journey of two years to reach this point.
Throughout much of his earlier playing days, Sasaki didn’t focus too heavily on his pitching mechanics; he just did what felt right. That natural instinct made him one of Japan’s top high school pitchers and later a sensation for the Marines.
However, in his last season in Japan—2024—he lost that fastball magic. His throws lacked both speed and accuracy.
That setback led him to undergo the tough process of reconstructing his game. Pitchers who once relied totally on instinct found themselves needing to dissect their mechanics in detail.
He hit 160 mph in his first start for the Dodgers during the season-opening series in Tokyo, but didn’t touch 100 mph again until recently. There were times he seemed to struggle, almost like he was losing his identity as a pitcher.
Sasaki reflected on last week’s breakthrough against the Philadelphia Phillies as a culmination of all he has worked towards. He feels he’s a more refined pitcher now than when he was in Japan.
“I’ve gained a lot of experiences—both good and bad—over the past two years,” he said. “I think I have a better grasp of what works for me now compared to back then.”
He explained that the more one learns about their mechanics, the better equipped they are to maintain a good state or recover from a bad one.
He is confident that his improvements are influencing not just his fastball speed but also his overall command.
“I’m able to throw my fastball as hard as I can within the zone, and even when I’m going all out, it lands right where I want,” he stated.
For Sasaki, his assertiveness against batters is more about technique rather than mindset.
“I wasn’t scared before,” he said. “Technically, we couldn’t place the ball where we intended.”
After ramping up his velocity in his latest performance, he mentioned feeling more like his old self. Manager Dave Roberts attributes this resurgence to Sasaki’s early groundwork and a strategic shift from slower forkballs to faster splits that stay intact better.
Roberts’ perspective aligns well with the stats; Sasaki boasts a 1.50 ERA in his last four starts.
Regardless, he has overcome early season challenges and developed a stronger mental resilience. Instead of facing demotion to the minors, he found himself on the mound repeatedly, wrestling with the reality of not having his signature fastball. His ERA in April was 6.35, and has since dipped to a season-low of 4.03.
“We all felt empathy for him,” Roberts remarked. “Now he’s matured and is thriving as a major league player.”
“He’s successfully come out the other side.”
So, now that he’s made that leap, what’s next for him?
Could an All-Star Game be on the horizon?
What about a Cy Young Award?
For Sasaki, it feels like the possibilities are once again boundless.
