"Roki Sasaki threw 23 pitches in the first inning before being pulled from the game after he gave up four runs, with three walks and two hits. His command was awful, throwing only eight strikes. He used four fastballs, seven cutters, and five splitters, showing his new third pitch, but he could not find the strike zone."
"After the first start of 2026, Roberts was still bullish on Sasaki figuring things out. 'It is, but I think that Roki has still - there's a lot of growth potential with Roki as a young player, and so it's important because we're expecting him to be good, he's expecting to be good and to continue to get better,' Roberts said."
"Sasaki came back out for the start of the second after Crowell limited the damage and did not allow another run. The Japanese starter would go on to retire his next six hitters, getting two strikeouts. He generated 10 whiffs, four from his new cutter, two from his four-seamer, and three from his splitter, along with another from his sinker."
Roki Sasaki had a difficult start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, throwing 23 pitches in the first inning with only eight strikes before being replaced. He gave up four runs on three walks and two hits, showing poor command and inconsistent velocity. His fastball lacked spin compared to previous seasons, appearing flat. After manager Dave Roberts pulled him without recording an out, Sasaki returned for the second inning and performed significantly better, retiring six consecutive hitters with two strikeouts and generating ten whiffs across his pitches. Manager Roberts expressed confidence in Sasaki's potential despite the rough outing, emphasizing the young pitcher's growth potential and development.
Read at Dodgers Nation
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