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Roki Sasaki, Munetaka Murakami being counted on for WBC

ByDavid Hill|
This picture taken on April 17, 2022 shows Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki watching the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) match between the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from the dugout at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba. - The 20-year-old Sasaki, who threw a perfect game with 19 strikeouts on April 10, pitched eight more perfect innings on April 17 before being taken out of a scoreless game against Nippon Ham to record a total of 17 straight perfect innings. - Japan OUT (Photo by JIJI PRESS / AFP) / Japan OUT (Photo by STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images)
This picture taken on April 17, 2022 shows Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki watching the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) match between the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from the dugout at ZOZO Marine Stadium in Chiba. - The 20-year-old Sasaki, who threw a perfect game with 19 strikeouts on April 10, pitched eight more perfect innings on April 17 before being taken out of a scoreless game against Nippon Ham to record a total of 17 straight perfect innings. - Japan OUT (Photo by JIJI PRESS / AFP) / Japan OUT (Photo by STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images)

The Japanese National Team is going to have plenty of firepower for the World Baseball Classic. And yet, they are going to be counting on two of their youngest players – Roki Sasaki and Munetaka Murakami.

As reported by the Kyoto News, Hideki Kuriyama, manager of the Japanese National Team, is expecting big things from his young stars. He said that “I don’t think we can win this kind of short championship tournament unless some youngsters step up and bring momentum to the team.” The pressure is clearly on for Sasaki and Murakami.

Roki Sasaki, Munetaka Murakami need to come up big in WBC

That is partly by design. Kuriyama has 15 players that had never been on the senior national team on the potential roster for the WBC. As Kuriyama said, this is a chance to see which players will grow into the role and how much they can develop.

For Murakami and Sasaki, it is a chance to further expand their stardom. Murikami has already set records, becoming the youngest Triple Crown winner in NPB history in 2022. Already an impressive power threat, he took his game to another level as he posted a stellar .318/.458/.711 batting line in his 612 plate appearances, hitting 56 homers and 21 doubles while driving in 134 runs and stealing 12 bases. He can make a tremendous difference in the middle of their lineup with just one swing of the bat.

Sasaki captured the imagination almost from the beginning of the season, firing a perfect game and following up with eight perfect innings in his next start. The 20 year old phenom ended the year with a 2.02 ERA and an absurd 0.796 WHiP in his 129.1 innings, striking out 173 batters with just 23 walks and only seven homers allowed. There is no question that he is already one of the best pitchers in Japan.

The WBC will also be a chance for MLB fans to get to see this young duo years before they may otherwise have the chance. It is a chance to see greatness as early as possible. And if Sasaki and Murikami perform to expectations, it could result in a WBC championship for Japan.

The Japanese National Team is looking to bring the WBC title back home. Roki Sasaki and Munetaka Murakami will be key to their hopes.

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