BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, 20, throws 19-strikeout perfect game in record-setting performance

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, 20, throws 19-strikeout perfect game in record-setting performance

Pitching phenom Roki Sasaki had 19 strikeouts while throwing a perfect game in a record-setting performance Sunday in Japan’s top professional league.

Sasaki, 20, recorded the first perfect game in Nippon Professional Baseball since 1994 and the 16th in league history, according to multiple Japanese media outlets.

Sasaki, a right-hander for the Chiba Lotte Marines, tied an NPB record with his 19 strikeouts against the Orix Buffaloes. He also struck out 13 consecutive batters at one point, a record in Japanese pro baseball, according to Kyodo News.

“This is the greatest,” Sasaki said after the game, according to multiple outlets. “Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about the possibility [of a perfect game]. I figured it would be OK if I gave up a hit, so I just pitched and put my trust in [catcher Ko] Matsukawa right until the end.”

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: April 10, 2022 at 11:42 AM | 21 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: japanese baseball, nippon professional baseball, perfect game

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Starring Bradley Scotchman as RMc Posted: April 10, 2022 at 12:14 PM (#6071034)

Game Score of 106, gents, which would've been the highest in MLB history (maximum nine innings).

Here are the all-time leaders.

2. Nasty Nate Posted: April 10, 2022 at 12:54 PM (#6071040)

He'd be pulled after seven over here.

3. sunday silence (again) Posted: April 10, 2022 at 01:07 PM (#6071042)

19 Ks has got to be more rare than a perfect game?

4. tonywagner Posted: April 10, 2022 at 01:48 PM (#6071050)

Just 105 pitches.

5. vortex of dissipation Posted: April 10, 2022 at 02:55 PM (#6071063)

His 14th career game. In 23 innings this season, he's allowed 7 hits and 2 walks, and struck out 42.

6. . . . . . . Posted: April 10, 2022 at 03:12 PM (#6071069)

Probably the best pitcher in the world right now.

7. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: April 10, 2022 at 03:33 PM (#6071073)

He did this in 105 pitches. That's pretty crazy: We know that the 19 strikeouts require 57 strikes, so in another 48 pitches, he was able to cover:

- the eight non-strikeout outs;
- any two-strike fouls involved in the 19 Ks;
- any balls thrown in addition to the strikes during the 19 Ks.

Even if every one of the 19 Ks took an average of only four pitches to achieve (which seems impossible), that would only leave 29 pitches to get the other eight outs.

What would be the closest thing in MLB to this performance?

8. vortex of dissipation Posted: April 10, 2022 at 03:53 PM (#6071075)

Just to be clear, this was the first perfect game in the NPB regular season since 1994; Daisuke Yamai and Hitoki Iwase combined for a perfect game in the fifth and final game of the 2007 Japan series, but that wasn't a regular season game, and NPB doesn't officially recognize multiple pitcher games as no-hitters.

9. What did Billy Ripken have against ElRoy Face? Posted: April 10, 2022 at 04:06 PM (#6071079)

On the one hand, I don’t want to see NPB or other leagues lose all their best players to MLB. On the other hand, man would it be fun to see this guy pitch here.

10. Perry Posted: April 10, 2022 at 04:51 PM (#6071084)

What would be the closest thing in MLB to this performance?

Would have to be Kerry Wood, right? One hit, no walks, 20 Ks. 122 pitches. Game Score 105, 1 below Sasaki.

11. Brian C Posted: April 10, 2022 at 05:22 PM (#6071088)

Wood also had a HBP in that game, so two batters away from being perfect. Although the hit probably would have been scored an E if it had been a couple innings later and arguably should have been anyway.

12. Perry Posted: April 10, 2022 at 06:09 PM (#6071092)

Matt Cain and Sandy Koufax have the most PG strikeouts with 14. Cain threw 125 pitches, which is the most in any PG. Koufax threw 113. I still think Wood comes closest overall, even allowing 2 runners, due to the 20 Ks.

13. Walt Davis Posted: April 10, 2022 at 09:05 PM (#6071104)

On the flipside, the other day the Cub broadcast posted the line from a Claude Passeau 1945 WS start -- 9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB. You wonder if he topped 75 pitches.

14. DFA Posted: April 11, 2022 at 12:23 AM (#6071127)

When does he get posted?

15. Steve Parris, Je t'aime Posted: April 11, 2022 at 07:47 AM (#6071133)

Just read his Wiki page - Sasaki was 9 when the post-Fukushima tsunami hit. It killed his father and grandparents and swept away his house. I can't imagine.

16. sanny manguillen Posted: April 11, 2022 at 08:37 AM (#6071135)

"He also struck out 13 consecutive batters at one point, a record in Japanese pro baseball, according to Kyodo News."

Ian Snell did this for Indianapolis in 2009. The Pirates had just sent him down, and he was really mad.

17. Russ Posted: April 11, 2022 at 11:16 AM (#6071148)

I was lucky enough to be watching that Wood game on TV. I have still never seen a baseball move like that before. His stuff that day was better than even video games could produce at that time.

18. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: April 17, 2022 at 11:54 AM (#6072155)

Eight more perfect innings before he was pulled. So he has retired 52 batters in a row.

19. sanny manguillen Posted: April 17, 2022 at 03:51 PM (#6072202)

When I saw this thread back in hot topics, my only thought was that Sasaki had hit the disabled list.

20. Gch Posted: April 19, 2022 at 09:39 PM (#6072628)

Not a perfect game and he’s absolutely not a prospect (he’s a LHP whose fastball was hitting 85-89), but Fighters pitcher Takayuki Katoh had a fantastic start today. He threw a three hit shutout and it probably was the best pitch count game I’ve ever seen. He only needed 56 pitches to complete seven innings. He ran into a few problems in the eighth and ninth, but still managed to finish the shutout with only 90 pitches. He outdueled Masahiro Tanaka who gave up two runs on a homer while throwing 120 pitches in 8 innings for the Eagles.

21. Gch Posted: April 24, 2022 at 12:14 AM (#6073367)

Salami gave up a hit on the very first pitch of his start vs Orix today, ending his perfect streak.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, 20, throws 19-strikeout perfect game in record-setting performance

Reader Comments and Retorts

BBTF Partner

Support BBTF

Hot Topics