History of Roki Sasaki in Timeline

Roki Sasaki is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Nicknamed "the Monster of the Reiwa Era," he debuted in the NPB in 2021. Sasaki gained significant attention for his exceptional pitching abilities, leading to his moniker. His career with the Marines marks him as a notable player in Japanese baseball.

1994: Previous Perfect Game in NPB

The year 1994 marks the previous perfect game in NPB by Hiromi Makihara, predating Sasaki's perfect game.

November 3, 2001: Birth of Roki Sasaki

Roki Sasaki was born on November 3, 2001, in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. He was named after a character from a popular Super Sentai TV Show.

2001: Birth Year (Repeated Event)

This event is already described in another entry with UUID db632bbc-f581-4b50-b6e8-efbe81129744. Sasaki was born in 2001.

2009: Stephen Strasburg's Draft Year

The year 2009 is mentioned as the draft year of Stephen Strasburg, to whom Sasaki was compared following his 2023 WBC performance.

2011: The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

In 2011, Sasaki and his family were impacted by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, resulting in the loss of his father and grandparents and the destruction of their home.

2019: Draft Selection

Roki Sasaki was selected first overall in the 2019 NPB draft by the Chiba Lotte Marines.

2019: Draft Selection (Repeated Event)

This event is already described in another entry with UUID b5ffe19d-df83-4133-a72a-0dd006460428. He was drafted in 2019.

August 15, 2020: Previous No-Hitter in NPB

The date August 15, 2020, marks the previous no-hitter in NPB before Sasaki's perfect game on April 10, 2022.

2020: Protected Season

The Chiba Lotte Marines did not allow Sasaki to play in any games during the 2020 season to protect his arm.

May 16, 2021: Official NPB Debut and Postseason Debut

Sasaki made his official NPB debut on May 16, 2021. He also made his postseason debut in the same year, striking out 10 batters in a game against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

2021: NPB Debut

Roki Sasaki made his Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) debut with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2021.

2021: NPB Debut (Repeated Event)

This event is already described in another entry with UUID db632bbc-f581-4b50-b6e8-efbe81129744. He made his debut in 2021.

April 10, 2022: Perfect Game and Record-Breaking Performance

On April 10, 2022, Sasaki pitched a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes, tying the NPB record for strikeouts in a game (19) and setting a new record for consecutive strikeouts (13), a world record.

2022: Pitching Style and Statistics

During the 2022 season, Sasaki's fastball averaged 98.4 mph as a starter. His pitching arsenal includes a forkball, curveball, and slider, with the forkball being his best off-speed pitch.

April 28, 2023: Fastest Pitch Record Tied

On April 28, 2023, Sasaki tied Shohei Ohtani's record for the fastest pitch by a Japanese player in NPB history at 165 km/h (102.5 mph).

2023: World Baseball Classic Performance and Championship

In 2023, Sasaki played for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, contributing to their championship victory and gaining international attention for his performance, including a strong start in the semifinal against Mexico.