"Sasaki was one of the important additions to the Dodgers' roster at the start of 2025, a heralded Japanese pitcher with good stuff and the potential to become a dominant pitcher if he developed and adjusted well. His rookie season was filled with inconsistencies, but he delivered towards the end of the season, enough to earn another real look at the rotation."
"While he will get the chance to prove himself, the biggest question looming around the Dodgers is how much they can expect from Sasaki. They are seemingly intent on having him learn what he needs to do. "It's always hard for a young player who's had success doing something one way - great success - to now be vulnerable and open to something the game hasn't told you that you needed to do," Roberts added."
Roki Sasaki joined the Dodgers before the 2025 season as a heralded Japanese pitcher with high velocity and strikeout potential. He struggled early as a starter, failing to go deep into games and showing inconsistent fastball velocity. A shoulder injury cost him time and led to a move into a relief role. He returned late, became the primary postseason bullpen arm and served as a closer during the playoffs. Sasaki recorded a 4.46 ERA across 36.1 regular-season innings. The Dodgers plan to give him an opportunity to compete for a fifth or sixth starter role while emphasizing adjustments and development.
Read at Dodgers Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]