Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was impressed by the pitching displayed by Hanshin Tigers right-hander Hiroto Saiki (27) in a practice game.

Saiki started the practice game against the Dodgers at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on the 16th, recording a win with 5 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 7 Samjin, and no runs scored.

After turning the first batter Shohei Ohtani into a swinging Samjin in the first inning, Saiki also struck out Tommy Edman with a swinging Samjin. Freddie Freeman handled a ground ball to the second baseman, easily closing the first inning. In the second inning, Saiki quickly got Theoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy out, and although he walked Will Smith, he struck out Michael Conforto with a swinging Samjin, preventing any runs.

Saiki continued his smooth performance in the third inning. He neatly retired the Dodgers' batting order consisting of Miguel Rojas, Andy Pahlees, and Ohtani in order. In the fourth inning, he got Edman to fly out to left field, and struck out both Freeman and Hernandez with Samjin. In the fifth inning, although he allowed a hit to lead-off batter Muncy, he induced a 4-6-3 double play with Smith and struck out Conforto to end the inning. Saiki handed the mound to Harvey Guerra in the sixth with Hanshin ahead 3-0 and concluded his appearance.

Japanese media outlet Full Count reported, "The Dodgers suffered a 0-3 shutout loss to Hanshin in the Tokyo Series practice game on the 16th. The Dodgers' notable batting order managed only 3 hits. Manager Roberts praised Saiki's pitching."

Saiki, who recorded 83 pitches, used a fastball reaching a maximum speed of 95 miles per hour, along with various off-speed pitches such as a forkball, slider, curve, and cutter, and he blanked the Dodgers' lineup, which is considered one of the best in Major League Baseball. Although Mookie Betts was absent due to poor physical condition, Saiki perfectly handled last season's National League MVP Ohtani and World Series MVP Freeman.

Manager Roberts praised Saiki, saying, "The pitch is Major League caliber. The velocity was good, and the splitter was also impressive." Regarding the practice games against Hanshin and Yomiuri, he noted, "The talent was overflowing. The pitcher who came out of the bullpen in yesterday's game against Yomiuri was also good. It’s a positive thing that there are players to watch with interest from America. I was impressed by the excellent team and players," he said with a smile.

By showcasing a strong pitching performance against the Dodgers, Saiki quickly attracted the attention of American media. The Athletic commented, "Today, Hiroto Saiki was incredibly impressive," while Dodger Blue noted, "In the Seoul Series, Hyeseong Kim (Dodgers) surprised the Dodgers scouts. Today, they must be admiring Hiroto Saiki. How much would it cost to get Saiki on a flight to Los Angeles?" suggesting that they should already be trying to acquire Saiki.

Saiki is an ace with a career record in Nippon Professional Baseball of 80 games (433⅓ innings), 33 wins, 20 losses, 3 holds, and an earned run average of 2.41. Last season, he had a career-high season with 25 games (167⅔ innings), 13 wins, 3 losses, and an earned run average of 1.83. He is expected to play a key role as a starting pitcher for Hanshin this year.

"I was conscious of Ohtani," Saiki said, noting, "I wanted to get a swinging Samjin with the forkball that I hit home runs against two years ago and was glad to have a good result." He reflected on his appearance, adding on his Instagram account, "It was the best moment. It was a moment that made me love sports even more."

[OSEN = Reporter Gil Jun-young]