There’s potential in him.
He showed me glimpses of it.
Somewhere in Roki Sasaki’s heart, he’s got what it takes to be a top starter.
Yet, it’s clear he struggles to harness that talent effectively.
He mentioned he’s getting more comfortable with his delivery mechanics, which used to come naturally. But he still seems a bit lost in it all.
Sasaki might understand, on some level, how to generate velocity, but it’s as if the true feel for it is just out of reach.
He’s not exactly in the same league as Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The real question isn’t if he got rattled after a rough outing—letting up six runs in just three innings during the Dodgers’ 12-7 win against the Padres. It’s clear that he did.
Now, there’s uncertainty about what the Dodgers should do next, especially after he’s given up 19 runs over 17 innings in his last four starts.
With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list, manager Dave Roberts said Sasaki is still next in the rotation.
“At this point, I don’t think there’s another choice,” Roberts mentioned.
He suggested that perhaps Sasaki was simply too predictable. “They were on everything he threw,” he noted. “They were hitting everything. I can’t tell if he was tipping pitches or not.”
Sasaki acknowledged there might have been a chance the Padres anticipated his throws. But, he rightly pointed out that the quality of his pitches played a significant role.
It takes courage to recognize a problem, and Sasaki seems to be doing just that.
In his second start in a row, he couldn’t break the 100 mph barrier with his fastball, averaging under 98 mph. That might explain why he faced tougher consequences compared to previous rotations.
He gave up a first-inning double to Fernando Tatis Jr. with a fastball, followed by a two-run homer to Manny Machado from the same pitch.
Because of this, he had to lean on his off-speed pitches, which didn’t fare much better.
“What stood out was just how hard they were hitting the ball,” Sasaki observed.
He allowed three home runs, including shots from Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth during a four-run second inning. All seven of his hits allowed were extra-base hits.
Sasaki indicated, “The ball I threw wasn’t good,” but he felt he was improving compared to his last outing against the Padres.
“I thought it was a no-brainer for Loki,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “I don’t think his stuff was that far off. He needs to be more aggressive in the strike zone.”
“It likely boils down to his mindset.”
Roberts seemed worried about everything—losing velocity, possibly tipping pitches, you name it.
“We’ll probably assess everything,” he commented.
Sasaki appears to be back at square one, but the Dodgers probably won’t contemplate sending him down to the minors or skipping him in the rotation right now.
What would be the point at this stage?
They’ve given him starts when he’s been just as off as he is now.
It could be beneficial to stick with him, hoping to replicate the success he had during his impressive stretch against the Phillies in late May. That was when he surpassed that 100 mph mark consistently and averaged over 98 mph.
Time is running short for Sasaki, who currently has a 5.40 ERA. When Snell and Glasnow return, the Dodgers will likely reconsider sending him out every six or seven days, waiting for a turnaround.
By then, he’ll need to demonstrate to the Dodgers that he can be a reliable asset, either as a starter or in relief. Right now, his inconsistent performance makes him a tricky choice for either role.
