It’s not a good time to stir up conflict within the Los Angeles Dodgers, but every word Dave Roberts says could be used against him, especially when it concerns one of the best friends of their superstar, Shohei Ohtani. It’s no secret that there were high expectations for Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is struggling in his Triple-A rehabilitation assignment, and the manager recently confirmed this when questioned about it.
Roki Sasaki’s struggles with the Dodgers
The Japanese pitcher, Sasaki, has made a total of four starts in his rehabilitation, allowing 11 runs in 14 innings for a 7.07 ERA. Another major issue is that his fastball velocity has dropped significantly to between 93-96 mph.
“I am surprised. Because the talent level is certainly there,” Roberts told the media. “The performance, the stuff hasn’t been there. I think there needs to be a tick up in stuff. And also against Triple-A hitters, you would expect more.”
In the Majors, the Japanese pitcher also had issues, but not to this extent. He made eight starts before landing on the injured list in May with a 4.72 ERA; additionally, he hasn’t generated the strikeout volume he had in the NPB, managing 24 strikeouts in 34.1 innings pitched.
Given this situation, Dave Roberts faces a tough decision regarding one of Ohtani’s closest allies, as the postseason roster has limited spots for pitchers. There’s still a month left in the season, but the manager’s stance seems quite clear.
“I guess the bar is high right now, because we’re in a pennant race,” Roberts said. “So to warrant pitching on our staff right now, there’s got to be urgency on his part and really dominant performance. That’s the level of where we’re at right now. That’s why, personally, I feel confident in speaking of certain expectations for Roki.
“Like I said a couple weeks ago, we’ve got to go with our best guys. And this is the time, right now. And again, Roki has gone through a lot this year. And he still has a ton of talent. We just want to see more.”
Currently, the Dodgers have six options for their rotation, so Sasaki‘s only chance is to join the bullpen. To do so, he must significantly elevate his performance to earn a spot on the team for the crucial postseason phase.
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