Over the last year, there had been speculation around MLB that the Dodgers had a possible handshake agreement in place with pitcher Roki Sasaki.

Japanese prodigy Roki Sasaki announced on Friday he is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers following a frenzied Major League Baseball battle for the coveted pitcher's signature.

The courting of young Japanese flamethrower Roki Sasaki was one of the few instances that all 30 Major League Baseball teams were on equal footing for prized talent. A time when some of the lower-spending teams had a chance to pick up a promising player and add a little parity to a sport that