Surprise! Sasaki announces marriage via Instagram

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Dodgers have developed their version of a three-peat. Sign a free agent contract, report to Spring Training, announce your marriage.

Roki Sasaki dropped the latter news on his Instagram feed on Friday morning, a few months after popping the question.

Sasaki¡¯s news came not quite a year after Shohei Ohtani announced his marriage while in camp on Feb. 29.

¡°The other day, I registered my marriage with an ordinary woman,¡± Sasaki posted on Instagram. ¡°I'm full of expectations and anxiety as it's a new start for both my work and private life. We will work hard as a couple, so please keep a warm eye on us."

¡°There is a lot that I can¡¯t do on my own, and this environment where I can focus on baseball is created by all the people around me," Sasaki said. "I¡¯m happy to have someone with me who is very important to me.¡±

Sasaki, 23, kept the news so quiet that even his teammates and manager Dave Roberts were surprised.

¡°What?¡± Roberts said with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know he had a girlfriend. The wedding gift will be on the way. Congratulations.¡±

Sasaki is expected to start the Dodgers¡¯ second game of the season in Tokyo on March 19, and his first Spring Training appearance should also come soon, though Roberts declined to specify an exact date.

¡°He¡¯ll be pitching sometime in the middle of [next] week,¡± Roberts said.