Published by
Kyodo News
Kyodo News
Japanese pitching sensation and major league target Roki Sasaki has been at less than his dynamic best so far this season, as his attempt to transition from a strikeout machine to a more efficient pitcher progresses slowly. The Lotte Marines right-hander has a 3-2 record with a 2.56 ERA in six starts, striking out 41 batters over 38-2/3 innings, the strikeout ratio down significantly from 173 punchouts over 129-1/3 innings in 2022, the season he threw a perfect game. Last Friday, the 22-year-old Sasaki, who is on the radar of a number of major league scouts, surrendered five runs on eight hits…