Ohtani informed the Los Angeles Dodgers they had landed prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani broke the news to the Los Angeles Dodgers that prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki was joining the team.

Ohtani sent a text to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman even before Sasaki's agent informed the club.

“It was pure excitement when we found out,” Friedman said Wednesday during Sasaki's introduction outside Dodger Stadium.

Manager Dave Roberts said his response included “some expletives, maybe.”

Sasaki signed a minor league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus. The 23-year-old donned a No. 11 jersey with “R. Sasaki” on the back, becoming the 13th Japanese player to join the franchise.

Like Ohtani, Sasaki has a dog — a black toy poodle. Sasaki wore socks with a dog's face on them.

“We share the same birthday,” a smiling Sasaki said through a translator.

A right-hander whose fastball tops 100 mph, Sasaki announced his intention to sign with the Dodgers on Friday. Sasaki met with eight teams, then cut the field and visited the Dodgers, San Diego and Toronto.

"The Padres and Blue Jays made tremendous pitches, presentations. They left it on the field,” Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe said. “When they left Toronto, I felt like he could easily go to Toronto. When we left San Diego, I felt like he could easily choose San Diego. When he came here, I really thought the entire process, it was a coin flip. I had no idea what he was going to say when he ultimately said, `OK, it's Dodgers.'”

Sasaki joined fellow Japanese stars Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Dodgers in a signing many baseball executives long expected.

“I am deeply honored that many teams reached out to me with such enthusiasm, especially considering I haven’t achieved much in Japan,” Sasaki said through a translator. “It was an incredibly difficult decision to choose just one.”

Although Sasaki pitched just under 400 innings in Japan, Friedman said Sasaki will immediately be part of the team's rotation.

“His goal is to be the first Japanese pitcher to win a Cy Young and he definitely possesses the ability to do that,” Friedman said. “The plan is to hit the ground running in spring training.”

In introducing Sasaki, Friedman called him "one of the most electrifying and promising talents in the game.” He said the Dodgers had been following Sasaki for the last six years, with their scouts first seeing him in high school in Japan.

“Even then his explosive fastball, pinpoint command and poise beyond his years stood out,” Friedman said.

During the winter meetings last month, Wolfe denied an agreement with the Dodgers already was in place.

"I believe this was a fair and level process," Wolfe said.

Wolfe revealed last month that MLB had investigated.

“It was a long process,” Roberts said. “Roki kept things really close to the vest. There’s been a lot of man hours that have been put in this process and a lot of airline miles also.”

Asked why he chose the Dodgers, Sasaki said, “I thought the Dodgers were at the top. The number one thing that stood out was the stability of the front office.”

Sasaki had until Thursday to finalize a contract. He was considered an international amateur under MLB's rules because he is under 25 and does not have six years service in the Japanese major leagues, making him subject to international signing bonus pools.

Los Angeles started with a pool of $5,146,200 but increased it to $8,102,800 with a pair of trades last week, acquiring $1.5 million from Cincinnati and $1,456,600 from Philadelphia.

The Dodgers are planning to use a six-man rotation, which could ease Sasaki’s transition to MLB, as the Dodgers attempt to become the first repeat champion since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.

“He definitely asked about it and was curious about what the plan was,” Friedman said.

Sasaki touched on the deadly wildfires that have destroyed sections of Los Angeles. He was 9-years-old when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami in his hometown, washing away his house and killing his father and paternal grandparents.

“As I also lived through a difficult time due to a natural disaster, I've always made sure to never lose sight of my goals and keep looking forward,” he said. “Los Angeles is facing challenging and difficult times right now. As a member of the Dodgers, starting today I am dedicated to give my best and strive forward with the people of this city.”

Sasaki was made available to MLB teams for a 45-day window by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League under the posting agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB.

The Marines will get a release fee of $1,625,000, calculated at 25% of the amount of Sasaki’s signing bonus. The money is due within 30 days of the contract's approval by MLB.

Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings during a season limited by shoulder inflammation. He went 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 15 starts in 2023, when he had an oblique injury. He has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Marines and pitched a perfect game against Orix in April 2022.

Among international amateur free agents, Los Angeles also agreed to deals with Venezuelan infielders Luis Tovar ($397,500) and Moises Acacio ($197,500), Panamanian left-hander Adrian Torres ($362,500) and Colombian shortstop Luis Luna ($137,500).

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

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Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, poses with Los Angeles Dodgers Pressident and CEO Stan Kasten, left, general manager Brandon Gomes, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts, right, as he is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A digital display of Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, is seen as he is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, poses as he is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

FILE - Roki Sasaki, of Japan, pitches during their Pool B game against the Czech Republic at the World Baseball Classic at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, March 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Digital display of Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, appears at Dodger Stadium before he is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Japanese right-hander pitcher Roki Sasaki, 23, is introduced by the Los Angeles Dodgers at a news conference at Dodger Stadium Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The leader of a far-right party on Wednesday returned to Israel's government as national security minister after it carried out a wave of heavy strikes that killed over 400 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Itamar Ben-Gvir had left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition in January to protest the ceasefire with Hamas, which was shattered by Israel's bombardment on Tuesday.

Netanyahu said the attack was “only the beginning” and that Israel would press ahead until it achieves all of its war aims — destroying Hamas and freeing all hostages held by the militant group since its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel ignited the fighting.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Tuesday's strikes killed at least 409 people, including 173 children and 88 women. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the ministry’s records department, described it as the deadliest day in Gaza since the start of the war.

Here's the latest:

Thousands of Israelis marched in Jerusalem on Wednesday to protest a resumption of the war in the Gaza Strip, fearing it could further endanger some two dozen hostages held by Hamas.

A sea of Israeli flags could be seen outside the Israeli parliament a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shattered a fragile ceasefire by launching heavy strikes on Gaza.

Families and supporters of the hostages fear renewed fighting could be a death sentence for their loved ones in captivity. The hostages “are waiting for us to take them out and to bring them home, but war will not do it. Only negotiations will do it,” protester Alon Shirizly said.

Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, including 24 who are believed to be alive.

The demonstrators are also protesting Netanyahu’s plan to fire the head of Israel’s internal security agency, the latest in a series of moves that his critics view as an assault on Israeli democracy.

A government statement on Wednesday said Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the ultranationalist Jewish Power party, regained his portfolio as national security minister. He had left the coalition in January to protest the ceasefire with Hamas.

His return strengthens Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition ahead of a crucial budget vote this month and improves its chances of surviving until the next scheduled elections in October 2026.

Ben-Gvir supports the full resumption of the war with the aim of annihilating Hamas, depopulating Gaza through what he refers to as the voluntary migration of Palestinians and rebuilding Jewish settlements there.

In this image made from a video released by the Israeli Government Press Office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a statement Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Israeli Government Press Office via AP)

People carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip as they are brought for burial at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

People carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip as they are brought for burial at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Israelis march on a highway toward Jerusalem to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet internal security service, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israelis march on a highway toward Jerusalem to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet internal security service, on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Palestinians inspect their damaged house following an Israeli bombardment in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners pray over the bodies of Palestinians killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip as they are brought for burial at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)