Roki Sasaki contract with Dodgers: How much he earns and what’s included in his MLB deal

In 2026, the contract signed by Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki with the Los Angeles Dodgers is entering his second Major League Baseball season, which has attracted considerable media coverage in the baseball community. Although he is considered one of the most promising young pitchers in the world, Sasaki also signed a rather humble contract due to MLB's international signing rules. He had to sign under the international amateur bonus pool rules because he signed with the league before turning 25. Consequently, his present contract will be regarded as an extraordinary offer to the Dodgers against what he could have received in the free market.

Salary, signing bonus, and projected earnings of Roki Sasaki

The financial deal of Sasaki is rather modest in contrast to the offers that are typically offered to star pitchers as they enter the big league baseball. He had been awarded a signing bonus of about $6.5 million when he signed with the Dodgers. This bonus accounted for the majority of his initial MLB wages and was structured under the international amateur bonus pool regulations that apply to younger overseas players.


In the 2025 season, Sasaki earned approximately $760,000, the minimum salary in MLB. He has also had a reasonable salary increase for the 2026 season to $780,000, which is the league's standard minimum salary. His signing bonus plus end-of-season salaries have Sasaki projected to earn an annual average of approximately $8 million over his career through the conclusion of the 2026 season.

Many analysts have widely observed that Sasaki would have commanded a huge bargain of over $200 million in the open market had he not moved to MLB at the age of 25. But his early action has enabled him to start his MLB career earlier, and this may have cost him a lot in his first income.

Contract terms and long-term team control

Under his deal agreement as it stands, the Dodgers have the rights to Sasaki's contract for six full seasons, during which he remains under the company's control until the 2030 MLB season. The first three years of his career will be characterized by his earning close to the league minimum wage, in line with MLB's norms regarding the payment system for young players.

Sasaki will be able to receive an arbitration on his salary beginning in 2028. The amount of his earnings may increase considerably at that point, based on his performance, awards, and statistical output. He will also gain rights to the MLB pre-arbitration bonus pool, which compensates the most promising players based on their awards or high statistical rates.

With the 2026 season underway, Sasaki also finds himself in the Dodgers' incredibly qualified pitching rotation alongside others such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who are also international pitchers, further demonstrating the team's international pitching prowess.