Roki Sasaki arrived as one of the future stars in MLB pitching. The Los Angeles Dodgers placed him on a very high pedestal by giving him the start in Game 2 of the season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, without much experience on the world’s biggest baseball stage. His next appearances were very brief. However, in mid-June, the Japanese pitcher suffered a right shoulder injury.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was clear: “The mindset has to be: we have to plan for life without him until this year”. At that point, Los Angeles was preparing for the possibility that Sasaki’s MLB debut season would end before it began. Two months later, at least there is good news: Sasaki is back on the mound. On August 14, the 23-year-old made his first rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City against the Albuquerque Isotopes.
How did Roki Sasaki fare on his return to the mound?
For analysts, the results raised more questions than answers. In two innings, Sasaki threw 41 pitches, allowing three runs, six hits and one walk. More concerning than the final score was the pitching itself: his fastball averaged just 92-94 mph, noticeably below the 100 mph-plus velocity that once made him Japan’s most electrifying pitcher.
His control was also poor: only 25 of those 41 pitches were strikes. For a pitcher who was already dealing with control issues in the majors. During his short stint earlier in the season, he walked 22 batters in just 34.1 innings before the injury, compared to just 24 strikeouts. “First we have to develop him. We have to increase his velocity. Once we get to three or four starts, we need to start seeing his performance. In the end, we’re going to bet on our 13 best pitchers. His talent is there, no doubt,” said Dave Roberts.
So what’s next for Sasaki?
Sasaki is expected to make his next rehab appearance between August 19 and 24, likely stretching to three or four innings against the Tacoma Rainiers. The Dodgers want to see not only progress in his workload, but also signs of his former velocity and more accurate control. Competition for spots in the Dodgers’ rotation could not be tougher right now.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains the ace of the pitching staff, with a 10-8 record and a 2.84 ERA. Tyler Glasnow continues to offer dominant outings; his five-inning, one-walk, eight-strikeout performance against the Padres last week highlighted his value. Blake Snell, after dealing with setbacks early in the season, has found his groove with a 1.80 ERA in five starts. Clayton Kershaw, the franchise icon, is regaining his best form, unbeaten in his last three outings.
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