Roki Sasaki Locked Into Dodgers Opening Day Rotation

"Having Blake [Snell] late to the season, which we know, [and] Gavin Stone, late to the season, as we know, we're going to need Roki. With the buildup, I just don't see a world in which he doesn't break with us as a starter, and so, we're going to need those innings."

"After allowing two walks and two hits, including a home run, in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians, Sasaki bounced back in the second and third innings to throw 13 of his final 22 pitches for strikes. The right-hander was much improved after the first inning, landing five of his seven fastballs for strikes while utilizing his new cutter-slider more."

"Sasaki was able to build on his strong finish in a 'B' game against the White Sox on Tuesday, allowing only one hit while collecting nine strikeouts in four scoreless innings. Sasaki had much better command, throwing strikes consistently throughout the outing."

Roki Sasaki has been assigned to fill a rotation void for the Los Angeles Dodgers caused by injuries to Blake Snell and Gavin Stone. Despite concerns about his fastball command and struggles as a starter last season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Sasaki's spot in the rotation is essentially locked in due to the team's need for innings. While his early Cactus League appearances showed inconsistency, Sasaki demonstrated improvement as games progressed, particularly with his secondary pitches. His performance in a subsequent 'B' game against the White Sox was notably strong, featuring nine strikeouts over four scoreless innings with improved command.

Read at Dodger Blue