Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, 20, throws 19-strikeout excellent recreation in record-setting efficiency

Pitching phenom Roki Sasaki had 19 strikeouts whereas throwing an ideal recreation in a record-setting efficiency Sunday in Japan’s prime skilled league.

Sasaki, 20, recorded the primary excellent recreation in Nippon Skilled Baseball since 1994 and the 16th in league historical past, in accordance with a number of Japanese media shops.

Sasaki, a right-hander for the Chiba Lotte Marines, tied an NPB file along with his 19 strikeouts in opposition to the Orix Buffaloes. He additionally struck out 13 consecutive batters at one level, a file in Japanese professional baseball, in accordance with Kyodo Information.

“That is the best,” Sasaki mentioned after the sport, in accordance with a number of shops. “Actually, I wasn’t fascinated with the chance [of a perfect game]. I figured it could be OK if I gave up a success, so I simply pitched and put my belief in [catcher Ko] Matsukawa proper till the tip.”

That includes a fastball that routinely topped 100 mph and a devastating forkball, Sasaki wanted 105 pitches to log the 94th no-hitter in Japanese professional baseball historical past and the primary since Aug. 15, 2020, in accordance with Kyodo Information. It was NPB’s first excellent recreation since Could 18, 1994, in accordance with Kyodo.

Marines supervisor Tadahito Iguchi advised reporters there are not any “doubts” about Sasaki’s expertise and likewise praised Matsukawa, the Marines’ 18-year-old rookie catcher.

“This isn’t one thing everybody can undergo, so it is a terrific expertise,” Iguchi advised reporters. “I’ve to provide credit score to Matsukawa for calling such a terrific recreation and doing a stable job with the bat as effectively. The 2 of them are fairly a battery.”

Sasaki rose to prominence as a highschool pitcher due to his high-velocity fastball and reportedly drew widespread curiosity from Main League Baseball groups earlier than signing with Chiba Lotte in 2020 at age 18.

“He is doing effectively, however having a recreation like this at such an early stage of his profession is outstanding,” Iguchi mentioned. “I do not suppose there’s anybody who had any doubts about him, and right now not even strolling a batter, that is simply added emphasis.”