Reporter Kim Joo-hee = Right-handed pitcher Sasaki Rocky (22, Chiba Lotte Marines) of the Japanese national baseball team, who is participating in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), threw a fastball at 160 km per hour in a practice game.

According to Japan’s Sankei Sports, Sasaki started a practice match against the Yakult Swallows held at Itoman Baseball Stadium in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan on the 15th. He blocked 2 innings with 1 hit, 5 strikeouts and no runs, and threw a slider and a forkball in a fastball with a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. 29 pitches.

Sasaki, who quickly finished the first inning with three strikeouts, met Munetaka Murakami, who hit 56 home runs last year, as the first batter in the second inning. Sasaki again struck out Murakami with a fast ball.

He then got a hit by Hideki Nagaoka, but came down the mound after arranging the next two batters with a grounder and a strikeout.

Sasaki, who has emerged as the next-generation ace of the Japanese national team, has been in good shape since his first practice match.

He threw a 160km fastball in bullpen pitching last week, and showed his presence by continuously sprinkling fastballs, his main weapon, in this practice game.

Sasaki, who has a fastball speed of 164km per hour, achieved a perfect game in April of last year against the Orix Buffaloes in the Japanese professional baseball, not allowing even a single hitter to get on base.

He also set the record for the youngest perfect game in Japan at the age of 20 years and 5 months at the time. 바카라

Sasaki, who has been on the 2023 WBC Japan team, will serve as a starting pitcher along with Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres), Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels), and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix).

Meanwhile, Japan will play the first match of the first round of the WBC against China on the 9th of next month. The confrontation between Korea and Japan will be held the next day, the 10th.