The situation in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching rotation is getting more complicated by the week. To an injured list that already includes the likes of Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki has now been added. The young Japanese prospect arrived with high expectations, but his debut in Major League Baseball has been very different from what many anticipated. The pitcher’s ERA has fallen to 4.70, his velocity has decreased and his dominance from the mound has gradually faded away, until the team finally detected physical discomfort that the player himself had not communicated.
The diagnosis: impingement in the right shoulder, confirmed by a recent MRI. According to Sasaki, the ailment had been affecting him for weeks, although he had never reported it. This has raised concerns not only within the team, but also among industry voices such as former Marlins president David Samson, who did not hesitate to express his annoyance: “One of the biggest frustrations I have with players is when they don’t tell the truth about their bodies, and we have to be the ones to guess what’s going on,” he said in a recent appearance.
The former director asks the uncomfortable question
For Samson, the injury is not only untimely, but also suspicious. In his analysis, Sasaki’s recent poor performance coincides with the sudden appearance of physical discomfort, which opens the door to doubt. “Because of lack of performance, because of his effectiveness of 4.7 and because of the drop in speed. He’s not striking out, he’s allowing runs and the speed has dropped. Are you lying to us, buddy?”, he asked openly, in a criticism that points more to the handling of the situation than to the player’s talent.
These types of statements are not minor in a league where medical transparency and internal communication are key. For a team like the Dodgers, who are fighting to stay at the top, a case like Sasaki’s generates noise, especially when he was expected to be one of the key pieces of the rotation in the midst of so many absences.
An emergency solution
With Sasaki out, the Dodgers have had no choice but to turn to Landon Knack, a pitcher who is still looking to establish himself in MLB. Although he is currently the designated replacement, his numbers do not invite optimism: an ERA of 5.89 and a 2-1 record that reflects more struggle than solidity. Nevertheless, Knack is the most viable option as the team’s fifth starter, at least in the short term.
The rotation remains weakened and the situation does not seem to have a quick fix. While the Dodgers are striving to remain competitive, and they are succeeding, as they occupy the top spot in the power rankings for the week, the picture behind the mound is becoming increasingly uncertain.
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