Roki Sasaki—the 20-year-old right-handed Japanese player—pitched the first perfect game in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball since 1994.
On April 10, he made history by striking out 19 batters with an average fastball of more than 99.5 mph.
This Sunday, Sasaki was at it again, but he was pulled after eight perfect innings in a 1-0 loss to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Chiba Lotte Marines player Sasaki amassed 14 strikeouts after throwing 102 pitches—each reportedly reaching 101 mph.
It remains to be seen when the baseball sensation will join MLB, which according to MLB scouting regulations, can only happen once he turns 25.
In the past, MLB has altered regulations to include younger players from other countries. If Sasaki chooses, he would be the 65th Japanese baseball player to join MLB.
