Sasaki, 'Monster God from Japan', Was He treated Unusual...A 12-year veteran infielder who has given up his number 11 times

Sasaki, 'Monster God from Japan', Was He treated Unusual...A 12-year veteran infielder who has given up his number 11 times

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Loki Sasaki (24) has been given the number 11 by veteran infielder Miguel Rojas (36).

Dodger Blue, a U.S. media outlet, said on the 21st (Korea time), "In the Major League, players often start with a high number of uniform numbers, settle down and change to a low number of uniform numbers. The same goes for players including Clayton Kershaw, who started his career as No. 54, or Miguel Rojas, who made his Dodgers debut as No. 72. However, it is much more unusual to return to high numbers in the second half of his career." 안전놀이터
Miguel Rojas is a veteran infielder with a batting average of .26 (from 2014 to 2024) in 1,182 games, with 50 homers, 336 RBIs, 399 runs, 62 steals, and OPS.672. He made his Major League debut with the Dodgers in 2014 and moved to the Miami Marlins through a trade in December that year. He returned to the Dodgers through a trade in 2023.

Rojas, who wore the No. 72 jersey when he made his big league debut with the Dodgers, used the No. 11 jersey after his return to the Dodgers. However, this year, he will go back to No. 72. "With Rojas changing his jersey number, Sasaki will be able to wear the one worn by his idol, Darvish Yu (San Diego)," Dodger Blue said, hinting that Rojas has given up his jersey number to Sasaki.

Sasaki succeeded in advancing to the Major League by signing a $6.5 million (about 9.3 billion won) contract with the Dodgers on the 18th. Sasaki, Japan's best ace with 29 wins and 15 losses and a 2.10 ERA in 64 games (394 ⅔ innings) in the Japanese professional baseball, made his name known around the world by achieving the youngest perfect game in the Japanese professional baseball in 2022. He was well-received for throwing fastballs and sharp splitters over 160 kilometers per hour, but his health was pointed out as the only anxiety factor.

Sasaki, who was injured every year and failed to meet the stipulated innings, failed to reach the stipulated innings by recording 10 wins and 5 losses with an ERA of 2.35 in 18 games (111 innings) last year, but won permission to post from Chiba Lotte in recognition of his first 10 wins since his debut. When Sasaki came to the market, Major League clubs immediately rushed to recruit him, and Sasaki finally chose the Dodgers through two meetings.

Sasaki used No. 14 and No. 17 when he was playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese pro baseball league. However, Gil Hodges' permanent number is No. 14 and superstar Shohei Ohtani is using No. 17 for the Dodgers. Therefore, Sasaki has reportedly decided to use No. 11.

Since signing a 10-year, $700 million (about 1.57 trillion won) contract with the Dodgers in December last year, Ohtani has given a Porsche to Joe Kelly, who was originally using the number 17. Dodger Blue predicted, "It is not clear whether Sasaki compensated Rojas for giving up his number. However, just as Joe Kelly received a Porsche from Ohtani last year, Rojas could have received a gift."