LOS ANGELES — Ahead of the new MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, young star Roki Sasaki moved fans by sharing a very personal story about his family — something he rarely talks about to the media.

In a rare moment of openness, the Japanese pitcher revealed he had just had a special dream.

“I dreamed that my dad and grandparents were sitting in the stands, watching me play…they were smiling and cheering me on,” Sasaki said.

A brief dream, but for him, it was a whole new memory.

Roki Sasaki is not only a great talent for the Dodgers, but also a player who carries a story of loss behind him.

In 2011, when he was just 9 years old, he lost his father and paternal grandparents in the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

In just one day, his family was forever changed.

From then on, Sasaki grew up with his mother and two brothers, in a life without a family breadwinner.

As the 2026 season approached, Sasaki said the dream came to him very naturally.

“I saw them… as if they had never left,” he said.

“They were sitting in the stands, like any family watching their child play.”

In that moment, Sasaki wasn’t a Dodgers star.

He was just a son playing basketball in front of his family.

A message without words

Sasaki said he didn’t hear any words in the dream.

But he understood what they wanted to convey.

“I didn’t hear them speak… but I knew they wanted me to continue.”

It was a feeling he hadn’t had in years.

A presence. A support.

Those who have worked with Sasaki all describe him as a special player.

Not flashy, not ostentatious, but always focused and disciplined.

Many believe that his childhood losses shaped him into the person he is.

A former coach once said:

“Sasaki doesn’t just play baseball. He carries a reason to play.”

Joining the Los Angeles Dodgers marked a new phase in his career.

The pressure was greater. The expectations were higher.

But that dream helped him change his perspective.

“I no longer feel alone,” he shared.

“I know they’re still watching me.”

After the events of 2011, Sasaki’s mother became his greatest support.

She single-handedly raised three children in difficult circumstances.

Sasaki has repeatedly said that he plays for his mother.

“I want my mother to see me do this,” he once shared.

Now, his MLB dream is also his family’s dream.

For Sasaki, the dream is more than just a fleeting emotion.

It’s a reminder.

That he’s not playing alone.

“I’ll bring them into every game,” he says.

“Every time I step onto the mound, I’ll think of them sitting in the stands.”

Sasaki’s story makes fans realize that baseball isn’t just about numbers or wins.

It’s about memories, losses, and things that can’t be put into words.

Behind every player is a story.

And for Sasaki, that story is more special than ever.

As the Dodgers prepare for the new season, Sasaki will carry not only the team’s expectations.

He carries a dream. An image. A stand where his family is sitting, smiling.

And each of his throws now is more than just a play.

It’s also a response—to those who have always followed him, no matter where they are.