What initially seemed like a straightforward development project has turned into something far more complicated.
Now that Roki Sasaki’s mechanics have been broken down, the Dodgers face the challenge of rebuilding him.
How they will approach this, or if it’s even feasible, remains uncertain. Still, the Dodgers managed to outbid 29 other Major League teams for this Japanese pitching sensation’s signature, albeit under unfortunate circumstances.
Because Sasaki is currently struggling.
I can’t pinpoint why he can’t find the strike zone. Will he get it together before his first regular-season start next week? Hard to say.
This spring, his performance yielded a troublesome 15.58 ERA, shaking his confidence and leaving him open to the idea of a stint in the minors.
Sasaki expressed in Japanese, “If that’s what’s decided, and if it’s better for me, then I think that’s fine.”
After yet another disappointing outing in Monday’s Freeway Series, Sasaki acknowledged that solving these issues wouldn’t happen overnight. It seems likely he’ll have to reset his approach, and the Dodgers may need to invest considerable time before he contributes effectively at the major league level.
Facing the Angels made him realize just how much he had to overcome. He didn’t even record an out in the first inning but couldn’t ignore the weight of his spring training struggles any longer.
During exhibition games, pitchers can re-enter if needed, and Sasaki took the mound again in the second inning, pitching through the fourth, but his results were far from encouraging.
He walked six batters across two innings and began each of his four innings with a walk or hit by pitch.
Out of 66 pitches, only 32 landed in the strike zone.
Scouts who watched him noted that he reminded them of Shintaro Fujinami, a former Japanese star who was once compared to Shohei Ohtani until he lost his control.
Despite the rough outing, manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Sasaki would stay in the starting rotation for the Dodgers’ Game 4 against the Cleveland Guardians.
“I believe in him,” said Roberts. “I really think so. I told him so in the dugout.”
Yet, Roberts recognized that adding Sasaki to the rotation was partly an experiment to assess his capabilities.
“That’s the big, big push,” Roberts commented.
Neither the Dodgers nor Sasaki himself seem entirely clear on his progress; he appears somewhat lost.
Sasaki felt embarrassed about his control issues, noting he hadn’t been erratic during warm-ups.
Was he overthinking things?
“That’s part of it, but there are many factors,” he explained. “What changes is the technical aspect. If you understand what happens when a batter is in front of you, you can play the same way.”
But when he was asked what he believed had shifted in his performance, he admitted, “It would be easier if it was clearer.”
The Dodgers had encouraged him to diversify his pitching repertoire by incorporating a moving ball but didn’t foresee it complicating his command.
Regarding his confidence level, Sasaki mentioned that he has maintained his velocity better than last year, averaging 97.1 mph against the Angels.
“However, how well I can showcase this against hitters will depend on my practice adjustments and how many successful experiences I gather in games.” “I think that might be difficult.”
Ultimately, where Sasaki starts the season isn’t crucial in the grand scheme. He’s likely headed for the minor leagues at some point.
When he does, the Dodgers’ mission will be to restore him to the level he showcased at 20 or 21 when he dominated in Japan—or help him find a new identity as a pitcher.
This isn’t exactly what the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him last season. Ideas of him winning the Cy Young Award and comparisons to Paul Skeens now seem quite distant.
However, there is a silver lining: Sasaki is aware of his current struggles, which is a vital first step toward improvement. The pressing question is whether the Dodgers can help him find a path forward.
