SAN DIEGO – Dodgers’ Concerns About Tarik Skubal Persist
The Dodgers find themselves still needing to consider their chances with Tarik Skubal. Manager Dave Roberts attempted to downplay Friday night’s events, but the unpredictability surrounding Aki Sasaki remains concerning.
This came into sharper focus following a 7-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, where Sasaki struggled in a manner reminiscent of his early-season form.
His pitching speed appeared diminished, and his control was noticeably off. He ended up walking five batters and allowing three runs over four innings.
It’s difficult to say if Sasaki fully understands the intricacies of his performance as he claims. He seems to depend heavily on feel, and if he can’t recalibrate, there’s a chance he could revert back to those rough early outings.
“I don’t think that will happen,” he stated during an interview in Japanese.
With another matchup against the Padres scheduled for Thursday at Dodger Stadium, it’s crucial for Sasaki to pinpoint his issues and rectify them. “I sort of know what to do regarding my pitches,” he admitted, “but it all comes down to whether I can replicate that. We strive for consistency each time. Today was below par, and that’s why I didn’t perform well.”
While he showcased promise in mid-May, the trajectory shifted later that month during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. That night, he managed to clock his fastball at 100 mph for the first time this season.
“This game was the one where I pitched the most like myself,” he remarked after that outing, where he averaged an impressive 98.5 mph.
After that peak, however, his velocity remained stable, albeit he faced difficulties in his subsequent outings, including a troubling seven-run game on June 12. He showed up strong against the Chicago White Sox but struggled mainly with his secondary pitches while maintaining his fastball prowess.
That’s why his latest performance raised red flags.
He didn’t look like the dominating pitcher he can be, and his recent games had seen him throwing 17 pitches at or above 99 mph. Against the Padres, he reached that mark only five times, with his average fastball velocity sitting at 97.7 mph. The previous four starts averaged between 98.3 to 98.8 mph.
“I just didn’t feel right throwing,” Sasaki expressed.
His delivery is intricate, requiring multiple body parts to coordinate seamlessly. He believes that how he executes his delivery affects both his speed and control. On evenings like Friday, when it falters, both aspects seem to decline simultaneously.
Visible decline was evident from the get-go; in the first inning, Samad Taylor logged ten walks. Sasaki gave one to Manny Machado in the second and followed it up with another to Gavin Sheets. Then, with one out, he threw two fast pitches to Ty France, which ultimately led to a three-run homer that sailed over the left-field wall.
In reviewing his performance, Sasaki seemed rather unconvinced, attributing his struggles to vague issues with his lower body.
Does he really grasp what went wrong?
Roberts, however, remained optimistic, suggesting he didn’t believe Sasaki would regress to earlier disappointments.
“I think we figured something out,” Roberts noted. But the question remains: did Sasaki merely have a stroke of luck? If so, and that luck slips away, it could complicate his journey to becoming a standout player.
