Japanese pitcher Rki Sasaki presently competes for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Nippon Professional Baseball league (NPB). He made his NPB debut in 2021 and was given the moniker “the Beast of the Reiwa Era”.
Sasaki, who was born in Rikuzentakata in the Iwate Prefecture, was in the third grade when the tragic Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 occurred. His house was devastated by the ensuing tsunami, which also claimed the lives of his father and grandparents.
Sasaki had to reside in a nursing home throughout the healing process, along with his mother and two brothers. The following year, the family relocated to Funato, where Sasaki began playing baseball at his new school.
The 16th perfect game in league history and the first since 1994 was pitched by Sasaki against the Orix Buffaloes on April 10, 2022, creating NPB history. Moreover, he tied the previous record for the most strikeouts in a game (19), held by Koji Noda, by striking out 13 batters in a row.
This accomplishment also broke the previous world record of 10 straight strikeouts held by Corbin Burnes, Tom Seaver, and Aaron Nola in Major League Baseball. Against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in his subsequent start, Sasaki pitched eight flawless innings while retiring 52 straight batters and struck out 14 batters on 102 pitches, setting a new NPB record.
Right-handed pitcher Sasaki, who throws with a three-quarters motion, is 6 feet 4 inches tall and 203 pounds. He throws a forkball, curveball, and slider in addition to a fastball that can go up to 165 kph (102.5 mph). The forkball is regarded as Sasaki’s strongest off-speed pitch.
Rōki Sasaki Jersey
Rōki Sasaki wears the number 17 jersey.
Rōki Sasaki Family
At the moment, not much is known about his family.
Rōki Sasaki Education
He received recognition for his fastball, which broke the previous high school baseball record in Japan. On the other hand, there is not much information accessible regarding his education. He played baseball in high school, but it is unknown which high school he attended or whether he went to college.
Rōki Sasaki Age
Sasaki is 21 years.
Rōki Sasaki Height
He stands 1.9 m tall.
Rōki Sasaki Velocity
He throws a fastball that reaches a top speed of 165 kph (102.5 mph).
Rōki Sasaki Contract
The Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki has signed a contract for the 2023 season, which will be his fourth with the team, for an estimated 80 million yen ($608,000). The breakdown of the contract wasn’t made public.
Rōki Sasaki Stats
| Career statistics (through the 2022 season) |
|
|---|---|
| Win–loss record | 12–6 |
| Earned run average | 2.10 |
| Strikeouts | 241 |
Rōki Sasaki Instagram
Rōki Sasaki’s Instagram handle is @rouki.sasaki