Record-Chasing Japanese Pitching Phenomenon Sasaki Rōki Heralds a New Era for Japanese Baseball

Sasaki Rōki pitching in his perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes at Chiba Zozo Stadium on April 10, 2022. (© Jiji)

Sasaki, second from left, and his teammates stand teary-eyed outside the dugout following Ōfunato’s loss to Hanamaki Higashi in the finals of the Iwate high school baseball tournament at the prefectural baseball stadium on July 25, 2019. (© Jiji)