Roki Sasaki‘s arrival at the Los Angeles Dodgers was one of the most talked about baseball moves of 2025.
At just 23 years of age, Sasaki promised to be one of the players with the brightest future, and with the precedent of the good feelings left by Shohei Ohtani in his early days with the Dodgers, he seemed a safe bet
The Japanese pitcher generated high expectations in Los Angeles, but what was supposed to be a dream debut with the defending World Series champion has become a headache for both the player and the team.
Roki Sasaki is having a tough time in Los Angeles
When the Dodgers signed him in January, Sasaki was expected to become a key part of the postseason rotation. However, the reality is different since the pitcher has spent more time off the diamond than on it due to shoulder problems that have sidelined him since mid-May.
During his rehabilitation process in Triple-A with Oklahoma City, the numbers have not been what was expected: eight runs allowed, seven earned, and six walks in just nine innings pitched.
These difficulties add to his main problem since he arrived in MLB: the lack of control. In 34 and one-third innings with the first team, he gave away 22 walks, something that seriously worries the Angels’ management.
Dave Roberts breaks silence on Roki Sasaki’s time with the Dodgers
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was clear and concise about the situation: “For us it’s about finding consistency, building it up little by little and being able to perform,” he commented over the weekend.
Our starters are throwing well, so the bar is high. This is a good learning process for Roki: attack the zone, command the ball and perform
Based on these statements, the outlook for Sasaki for the postseason is not encouraging and it is highly likely that he will be left off the October roster
Dodgers: a team that can’t wait
The pressure on the Japanese player is enormous. This is not a club in the process of rebuilding, but a franchise that wants results now, not in the future.
The Dodgers are one of the teams that has invested the most with an experienced core and cannot afford to carry weaknesses in the rotation.
Key players such as Mookie Betts are enduring their worst offensive season since 2021, while Clayton Kershaw is averaging just five innings per outing. Even Shohei Ohtani remains limited following his Tommy John surgery. The only certainty at the moment is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, which makes the need for reliable arms in October all the more apparent.
For now, everything indicates that his place will be in the bullpen or even on the bench during the playoffs, with a view to redeeming himself in 2026.
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