Junki Sasaki is humble on his first day with the Los Angeles Dodgers

 The Japanese Roki Sasaki confessed what led him to choose the Dodgers.

The Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki had his first experience as a Los Angeles Dodgers player on Wednesday when he was introduced and donned the uniform of the reigning World Series champions. During the event, he left an impression of humility with every response, marking the beginning of his journey into Major League Baseball, as he described it himself.

"By putting on this Dodgers uniform today, I am reminded that my journey is about to begin, and it makes me feel more focused than ever," Roki Sasaki said through his interpreter, Will Ireton.

Sasaki’s greatest display of humility came when he acknowledged how honored he felt by the interest MLB teams showed in signing him. At just 23 years old, he reflected that he hadn't achieved much in the Nippon Professional Baseball League, where he pitched around 400 innings and showcased his blazing fastball, which exceeds 100 mph.

"I feel deeply honored that so many teams approached me with such enthusiasm, especially considering I haven’t accomplished much in Japan," Sasaki said. He also admitted, "It was an incredibly difficult decision to choose just one."

 Why Did Sasaki Choose the Dodgers? Roki Sasaki’s maturity and clarity about his goals played a key role in his decision to join a team that could nurture his talent, protect him from injuries, and provide a supportive environment for a Japanese player. With stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto already on the roster, it was evident that this supportive atmosphere was a given. "I felt the Dodgers were at the top. What stood out the most was the stability of the front office," Sasaki stated when asked about his decision to join the team.

The press conference for Roki Sasaki’s presentation also had its humorous moment. Like Shohei Ohtani, Sasaki has a dog—a black toy poodle—and for this special day, he chose to wear socks with a dog’s face on them. "We share the same birthday," Sasaki revealed with a smile.

Sasaki will wear number 11, as the number 14 he wears for the Japan national team has already been retired by the Dodgers in honor of Gil Hodges, while number 17, which he wore with the Chiba Lotte Marines, belongs to Shohei Ohtani.

"I’m really grateful that a veteran like Miguel Rojas is letting me wear number 11," Sasaki said, adding that he plans to find a way to repay him. He hinted that he might have an idea after seeing what Ohtani did—gifting a Porsche to Joe Kelly’s wife when the team gave him the number 17.