Star player added to Dodgers roster, ready for MLB debut: ‘It’s feels like a miracle’. LA officially adds rookie phenom pitcher to roster. one of two non-roster invitees added on Monday. Michael Grove and Brusdar Graterol were placed on 60-day injured list to make room
Dave Roberts on his team’s mindset
Eric Stephen is the managing editor of True Blue LA, where he’s covered the Dodgers since 2009, and the co-host of the Three-Inning Save podcast. He’s on Bluesky at @ericstephen.bsky.social.
We knew from the jump when the Dodgers signed Roki Sasaki two months ago that he would start in the major leagues right away. The team made it official on Monday, selecting the right-hander to the 40-man roster while finalizing the opening day roster.
Because the 23-year-old Japanese right-handed did not have the requisite experience nor was he old enough, Sasaki was considered an international amateur as a free agent, and this subject to international bonus pool spending limits. The Dodgers officially signed Sasaki to a minor league contract with a $6.5 million bonus on January 22.
All of the national outlets that considered Sasaki a prospect — Baseball America, ESPN, FanGraphs, and MLB Pipeline — rated him the top prospect in the sport
At Sasaki’s introductory press conference, both president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes said the right-hander would be in the major league rotation right away.
Dodgers set 2025 opening day roster
Now he’s starting the second game of the season, in his home country of Japan.
“I can’t believe that my dream came true at the Tokyo Dome, it’s like a miracle,” Sasaki told reporters in Tokyo on Sunday.
Sasaki pitched twice in Cactus League play, totaling seven scoreless innings and seven strikeouts, with incredible movement on his split-fingered pitch.
The other non-roster invitee added to the roster on Monday was veteran Luis García, who signed with the team on February 14.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Sasaki and García, the Dodgers placed pitchers Brusdar Graterol and Michael Grove on the 60-day injured list.
Graterol missed over four months last season with shoulder inflammation, which also knocked him out of the first two rounds of the postseason. He also missed a month with a hamstring strain.
Between the regular season and World Series, Graterol pitched in just 10 games in 2024, with a 2.79 ERA, eight strikeouts and six walks in 9⅔ innings.
MLB Next Game – Los Angeles Dodgers
He had surgery on November 14 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, a procedure expected to keep him out of action for the first half of the 2025 season.
Graterol avoided a salary arbitration hearing with the Dodgers by agreeing to terms one a one-year, $2.8 million contract for this season.
Grove had shoulder surgery in March to repair a torn labrum, and is expected to miss the entire 2025 season.
Grove had a 5.12 ERA and 3.64 xERA in 39 games last season, with 54 strikeouts and 16 walks in 51 innings, and missed over seven weeks with a right intercostal strain.
The right-hander made the National League Division Series roster, but was removed prior to Game 3 with a shoulder injury. Grove did not pitch again during the postseason, and the injury delayed his offseason routine, which led to the right-hander being well behind to start spring training.
On February 25, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Grove would not be ready by opening day. On March 9, Grove was in the Camelback Ranch clubhouse with his right arm in a sling, having already had the surgery.
