Sasaki's nickname is a tribute to legendary Japanese starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was known as the "Monster of the Heisei," referring to different eras of the Japanese calendar. The 23-year-old lost both his father and grandfather during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to have landed yet another high-profile Japanese star. Flamethrowing right-hander Rōki Sasaki announced on Instagram that he is joining the Dodgers. Sasaki,

Roki Sasaki was expected by many to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were right. The flame-throwing right-hander from Japan agreed to a deal with the Dodgers on Friday, according to a post on his Instagram account. His signing bonus is reportedly $6.5 million, per The Athletic.