Dodgers’ Aki Sasaki: A Growing Option for Postseason Play

Picture this: it’s October, playoff time. On the mound, it’s Aki Sasaki—starting, not just coming in as a reliever. What once seemed like a distant dream is now taking shape as a tangible possibility.

Of course, this doesn’t mean he’s secured a spot in the Dodgers’ postseason rotation just yet. The team boasts star players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, along with expectations for Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow to return. Still, if something were to keep any of them out of action and if the Dodgers can’t land Tarik Skubal by the trade deadline, Sasaki might just be a credible option to step up for the two-time champions in October.

Last week in Chicago, he had a tough outing, allowing seven runs. But on Friday night, he demonstrated significant improvement, tossing five scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles at Uniqlo Field. Unfortunately, he let two home runs slip in the sixth, resulting in a loss of a precious three-run lead. The good news? The Dodgers rallied for a late win, wrapping up the game 6-5.

This game was a learning experience for Sasaki but proved he’s on the right track. “He’s a great player,” said manager Dave Roberts. “I admire his resilience. He was impressive tonight.”

In contrast to his previous start, Sasaki seemed more in control of his pitches, especially his splitter and slider. “I’ve really focused on my breaking balls, particularly the slider,” he noted in Japanese. However, it was his fastball that stole the show again, averaging nearly 99 mph. Five of his pitches clocked in over 160 mph, marking his fourth consecutive game reaching triple digits.

With his fastball, he was able to command the game, using it effectively to gain the upper hand and secure three of his six strikeouts. As a result, he threw just 54 pitches by the fourth inning and was facing the fewest batters—only allowing a walk to Colton Cowser in the fifth.

He started the night allowing a single hit to Taylor Ward, who didn’t get another chance after being caught trying to stretch it into a double. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that Sasaki allowed another hit.

His only regret? A splitter in the sixth that resulted in a two-run homer for Gunnar Henderson. “The forkball broke right on the inside corner. He didn’t react as I expected,” Sasaki explained. He followed that with another home run to Pete Alonso but felt decent about the pitch placement, saying, “It was right where I intended to throw.”

As he aims to be more consistent with his off-speed pitches, Sasaki’s next challenge will be to develop his approach against batters late in games, especially as the lineup turns over a third time. Though it was disappointing for him to get taken out in the sixth inning after Alonso’s home run, there was a sense of encouragement in his tone.

“Overall, I accomplished what I wanted,” he reflected. “I think I threw a lot of good pitches.”

His shift in attitude was palpable. Sasaki had transitioned from being somewhat withdrawn at the start of the season to now being more sociable, even smiling. After the Dodgers’ comeback win in the ninth, he learned that Japan would be facing Tunisia in the World Cup the following day. His response was amusingly surprised: “Really?”

It became clear he hadn’t been particularly invested in the tournament. “I have time tomorrow, so I’ll support them,” he said, chuckling again when he realized Japan’s game would overlap with his own. “Then it’s impossible.”

Interestingly, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was set to throw the ceremonial first pitch at 7:10 p.m., right before Japan’s game at 9 p.m. Sasaki lightheartedly remarked, “I’ll check in with Yoshinobu… I’ll do my best.”

Last year, as he gained confidence, Sasaki began to open up more, finishing games during the postseason. This year, he might find himself starting them.