Just a few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series title after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in an epic seven-game final.
The celebration gave way to an inevitable debate: can the Los Angeles franchise become the first team in more than two decades to achieve a three-peat? To do so, the team will need a healthy, solid and ready-to-compete pitching staff from preseason.
Figures such as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow will dominate the headlines in the months leading up to the 2024 season, but Roki Sasaki, after a first season full of ups and downs and decisive moments, could be just as or even more decisive for the immediate future of Los Angeles.
An irregular year, an injury and a key adjustment in his mechanics
Sasaki’s rookie season at 24 years old is not fully reflected in his numbers. In eight starts and 10 total appearances, he pitched 36.1 innings, went 1-1 and had a 4.46 ERA. His time in the rotation was interrupted by a right shoulder injury that sidelined him for more than three months. As a starter, he posted a 4.72 ERA and a lower-than-expected strikeout rate of just 20.4%.
During his rehabilitation, Sasaki began to work more closely with Dodgers pitching director Rob Hill and other members of the coaching staff. Until then, according to Dave Roberts, the Japanese had followed his own program because of his natural talent.
Rob Hill, the turning point that changed his season
The manager said there was a moment in Arizona when the team insisted that Sasaki needed to open up to more instruction. The youngster agreed, and adjustments soon followed: his mechanics improved, his velocity increased and his command of the strike zone was noticeably refined. Sasaki returned to pitching out of the bullpen and completed his last two appearances before the postseason with two scoreless innings.
Sasaki returned with a different look, he had the look of a killer
“When he came back, I told him he now had a different look,” Roberts said. “He has the look of a killer.”
A postseason that showed their resilience and potential
In the postseason, Sasaki showed unexpected maturity for a rookie. In 10.2 innings he allowed just one earned run, six hits, five walks and struck out six opponents, posting a 0.84 ERA. He closed the World Series with a save, reaffirming his ability to respond in moments of maximum pressure.
His speed also returned to elite levels: from the 96 MPH he reached before the injury, he rose to 100 MPH in the Division Series against Philadelphia, dispelling doubts about his physical recovery.
Reliever or starter? The Dodgers’ vision for 2026
Despite his success out of the bullpen, the Dodgers’ management has no doubts: Sasaki will be a starter in 2026. Andrew Friedman said the reliever role was solely part of the process of rebuilding his mechanics and not a long-term plan. “We see him as a very good starter,” he said.
2026 promises to be the year of consolidation
The debut campaign was full of twists, injuries and adjustments, but it also showed the competitive mettle that defines great pitchers.
Roki Sasaki did not have a perfect year, but it was revealing enough to project him as a key piece in the Angels’ project towards the historic three-peat.
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