Sasaki's nickname is a tribute to legendary Japanese starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was known as the "Monster of the Heisei," referring to different eras of the Japanese calendar. The 23-year-old lost both his father and grandfather during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, the hottest international free agent in baseball, is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers, he announced on social media Friday. The 23-year-old right-hander said he signed a minor-league deal. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.