Japan’s Roki Sasaki Threw a Beautiful 102-MPH Fastball With Movement That Had Fans in Awe

This. Pitch.

Japan beat Mexico in a thrilling World Baseball Classic semifinal game Monday night that was decided by a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth by Munetaka Murakami, which sent the stadium into hysterics and led to a great call by the Japanese TV broadcast. 

The win sets up what should be a great championship game Tuesday night with Japan facing off against Team USA in Miami. 

While the ending of Monday night’s game was fantastic, what Japan’s star pitcher, Roki Sasaki, did earlier in the game was just as cool. The 21-year-old right-hander routinely hit triple digits on the radar gun and threw this absolute beauty of a fastball that had baseball fans in awe: 

Roki Sasaki, 102mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/UZAy7HjI4w

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 20, 2023

I mean, what are you supposed to do with that pitch? 

Here are some wild stats from his night: 

Roki Sasaki has thrown 20 fastballs. Here is the velocity on them.

101.8
101.7
100.9
100.9
100.8
100.8
100.7
100.7
100.6
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.5
100.4
100.3
100.2
100.2
100.1
97.4

Yes, you're seeing that correctly: 19 of 20 at 100 mph-plus. Average velocity: 100.5 mph.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 20, 2023

Fans rightfully gushed over the 102-mph heater: 

This is absolutely gorgeous to watch. https://t.co/VRmrShurA7

— Josh Weaver (@FourFourHipHop) March 21, 2023

The movement 😳 https://t.co/53LJWdkjzi

— Ava (@heyxava) March 21, 2023

OK, I know it’s technically legal to throw this way, but is it ethically responsible?🧐 https://t.co/0oHXw1ozUU

— Andy Behrens (@andybehrens) March 20, 2023

A long-time evaluator once described Roki Sasaki's fastball to me as "the best fastball you will ever see in your life. Seriously." So there is that. https://t.co/yMQIc4vzyj

— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) March 20, 2023

102 with movement like that is absolute filth. https://t.co/eTru03Qc4R

— Callum Carson (@CallumCarsonKS) March 20, 2023

He’s so so so so so special. Truly 1of1 on the mound. https://t.co/EzKuO9JaZr

— dal (@dalsharp) March 21, 2023