Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Dodgers Had to Meet Roki Sasaki’s Absurd Condition Before Signing Him

"It sounds like a joke"

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Juan Soto seemingly had his fair share of demands along with a massive contract that he signed with the Mets. Roki Sasaki, the second-most coveted name in the offseason market, the Japanese phenom who wasn’t eligible for full free agency before turning 25, may not have secured Yoshinobu Yamamoto money, but he did get something he considers reasonably valuable:

Japanese-style bidet toilets.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Dodgers’ successful courtship of the 22-year-old pitching sensation included upgrading their bathroom facilities as part of a $100 million clubhouse renovation. And according to Sasaki himself, this unusual accommodation played a genuine role in his decision.

Roki Sasaki told the Dodgers that if they installed bidet-equipped Japanese-style toilets in the clubhouse, it would influence his decision to sign with them this past offseason. 🤣

(Via: @BillPlunkettOCR) pic.twitter.com/yDlGjHn72P
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 27, 2025

“It sounds like a joke. But for me, it’s pretty important,” Sasaki admitted in a recent interview with the Orange County Register. While the presence of countrymen Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto certainly factored into Sasaki’s decision to join the Dodgers, the bathroom amenities may have been the true difference-maker in Los Angeles landing the young pitcher.

The conversation about bathroom preferences emerged during initial discussions between Sasaki and Dodgers executives. Team President Stan Kasten remembers the moment clearly:

“During our first meeting with Roki, we were telling him about the project we had ongoing to upgrade our clubhouse and facilities,” Kasten told the OC Register. “I was telling him about all the amenities we were adding. ‘We’re going to have this and this and this.’ And he asked, ‘Are you going to have Japanese-style toilets?'”

The request makes perfect sense when you understand the cultural differences. Japanese toilets represent the pinnacle of bathroom technology, featuring heated seats, customizable water temperature and pressure for the integrated bidet function, air dryers, deodorizers, and even automatic opening and closing lids. American toilets, by comparison, seem almost primitive with their focus on basic functionality rather than comfort or sophistication.

For Sasaki, who grew up with Japanese bathroom standards, adapting to American facilities represented yet another cultural adjustment during his transition to MLB. The Dodgers, recognizing an opportunity to distinguish themselves from competing suitors, didn’t hesitate to accommodate this personal preference. The Dodgers’ willingness to address even the most unusual requests demonstrates why they continue to attract international talent while other organizations struggle to compete.

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Sasaki ultimately signed with the Dodgers in January for a $6.5 million bonus, choosing Los Angeles over finalists including the Padres and Blue Jays. Both New York teams, the Mets and Yankees, made initial pitches but failed to advance to the final round of consideration.

Through his first six MLB starts, Sasaki has shown promising results with a 3.55 ERA, 20 strikeouts over 25⅓ innings pitched, and a 1.421 WHIP.

Dodgers

Roki Sasaki

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.