Phenom Tosses 19-Strikeout Perfect Game

Dave Litman April 11, 2022 MLB

Major league teams are keeping a close eye on 20-year-old Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. On Sunday, he tossed an incredible 19-strikeout perfect game for the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Roki Sasaki's 19 Strikeout Perfect Game! 🍾
T102 MPH

He's still only 20 years old.

The Monster of the Reiwa 🦖 pic.twitter.com/aQeWWcFRnl
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 10, 2022

It's the league's first perfect game in 28 years. At one point he struck out 13 straight batters—a record in Japanese pro ball—regularly hitting 100 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. Mixing in a killer forkball, the Orix Buffaloes simply couldn't touch him.

“This is the greatest,” Sasaki told reporters after his masterpiece. “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.”

He was already on MLB teams' radar after last season, when, at the age of 19, he posted a 1.84 ERA, striking out 84 while walking only 19 in 16 starts.