Dave Roberts, the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was given reasons to use Roki Sasaki as the team’s official closer.
This comes from the National League Division Series where the Dodgers will play the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Phillies, who had the second-best record in the National League, which allowed them to qualify directly for the Division Series without playing the Wild Card Series like the Dodgers, who swept the Cincinnati Reds in two games.
Why Roki Sasaki should be the Dodgers’ closer for the rest of the playoffs
After throwing a perfect 1-2-3 inning for the Dodgers in Game 2 against the Reds, Roki Sasaki should be in charge of closing out games from now on. If there’s one overarching problem the Los Angeles Dodgers have been facing all season, it’s been their bullpen.
Making his MLB postseason debut in the ninth inning against the Reds – a decision made to avoid the rookie throwing his first inning in a high-pressure situation in South Philadelphia – Sasaki looked like a true killer, throwing nine strikes in just 11 pitches for two strikeouts and a flyout to Mookie Betts to secure the final out of the game.
Speaking about Sasaki’s postseason debut and his personal level of confidence in the rookie ahead of the NLDS, following the conclusion of the Wild Card Series, Dave Roberts told reporters that he believes in his 23-year-old pitcher and is looking forward to seeing him play in the next round. “I trust him, and he’s going to pitch in pressure situations. So the more you pitch and play with the guys, the more you learn. So, like I said about Yamamoto, I don’t think the moment is too big for Roki,” Roberts said via Dodgers Nation.
“Yes. I think that – you like everyone, you trust everyone, to varying degrees. And I think in the postseason, you have to go with ultimately who you feel is best in that spot. So it’s always changing, and I’m not going to be the kind of person that says ‘You can’t be blind to performance, heart rate and how players respond to certain situations.’ It’s kind of a daily conversation with the pitching coaches, the front office and just – and most importantly, what I see.
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