With anticipation rising for what 20-year-old Roki Sasaki is capable of, Lotte Marines manager Tadahito Iguchi said Thursday that Sasaki will start on Sunday against the Orix Buffaloes, Nikkan Sports reported Thursday.
After throwing eight perfect innings last Sunday, Iguchi said the youngster’s next start would only be decided after a discussion within the team.
Pulled after throwing 102 pitches this past Sunday, Sasaki enters the game at Osaka Dome having retired 52 consecutive hitters, the longest recorded streak in either Japan’s or America’s majors.
The 102 pitches were the third most Sasaki has thrown in a major league game. His high remains at 107 from his debut last May, with his April 10 perfect game No. 2 at 105.
After the Marines’ 1-0, 10-inning loss in Sasaki’s last start, Iguchi said, “We’ll check on his next start, but beyond that we’ll have to think after discussing it together with Roki, the trainers and our analysts.”
Although Sasaki has not allowed a run for 18 straight innings, the Marines have not scored since last Saturday’s ninth inning, a stretch of 28 consecutive innings.
