Akinori Sasaki: After ordering fried food, he goes to a luxury foreign car where a driver waits for him! Fans are giving a hard look at the “Monster of Reiwa,” who keeps leaving the field.
Is it really selfishness? Fans are looking on with mixed feelings--Roki was struck off the roster due to "poor conditions" and is currently being adjusted by the second team.
If six days in the middle of the day was difficult, there would be no games to pitch. ……
On June 13, when Lotte announced that Akinori Sasaki (22) had been removed from the roster due to a “poor condition of the right upper limb,” manager Rito Yoshii (59) said with a sigh, “I’m sorry.
This is the second time this season that Sasaki has been removed from the roster, having also been dropped in May due to a delay in recovering from upper-body fatigue.
It’s doubtful he’ll even make it through the season, but he’s eager to go to the majors this offseason. Because of this situation, some are wondering if he is skipping the medical checkup before going to the U.S. Furthermore, there is an unknown source that a major advertising agency in charge of Sasaki’s management is pulling strings behind the scenes, and fans are taking a hard look at her.
One day in July, FRIDAY spotted Sasaki at a fried chicken restaurant in Tokyo. He was dressed in a white T-shirt, wearing a mask and cap, but his 192 cm height stood out well.
Sasaki was standing in line at the restaurant and ordering his own karaage. After a short wait, he picked up the fried chicken, got into a luxury foreign car with a driver waiting for him, and drove away” (a customer who was there).
Sasaki is rumored by some reports to be dining with major league officials, but in reality he spends his days shuttling back and forth between the second team facility and his home.
Akinori visits various hospitals with his trainer after practice. Professional baseball teams have tie-ups with local university hospitals and other facilities, and players are often examined and rehabilitated there.
However, Akinori goes to a university hospital with a sports medicine specialist or visits a medical facility in Tokyo that specializes in orthopedic surgery. Moreover, it is not unusual for him to spend up to three hours at one visit. He must be in very poor condition. He sometimes eats out, but often has dinner at home.
If his condition is serious, it could affect his chances of making it to the majors.
He is still young and his reputation will not change. I would rather he not push himself this season and save his elbow and shoulder for next season. The leading candidate for a transfer destination is the Dodgers, who have plenty of money and have Shohei and Yamamoto. It is said that they are already a good match for each other.
We hope that he will challenge the stage of his dreams in a way that baseball fans can support. ……
From the July 26/August 2, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
PHOTO： Sota Shima
