Dodgers Will Do 'Dive' on Roki Sasaki as Struggles Continue

After what looked like a promising month of May for starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, the right-hander has fallen back into some troubling trends.

Sasaki faced off against the San Diego Padres over the weekend for the second time in as many starts, and he was rocked again. The right-hander went three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, including three home runs.

Thankfully for Sasaki, the Los Angeles Dodgers' offense was able to respond, gifting him 12 unanswered runs following the 6-0 hole. But the issues that Sasaki has seen recently are concerning, and the team is now going to take a deeper look into what may be happening.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke on the issues with Sasaki of late, hinting that the right-hander could have possibly been tipping his pitches.

“They were on everything Roki threw. You could see it,” Roberts said. “We’re going to do a little dive. I don’t know if he was tipping his pitches, but they were on everything.”

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing also believes that Sasaki could have been tipping his pitches, which would address how the Padres were able to hit him so efficiently.

“That would be a big explanation as to how they felt like they were on every pitch,” Rushing said.

Sasaki has now allowed 19 runs over his last 17 innings pitched, and this isn't going to get the job done at all. The Dodgers thought that the right-hander had turned a corner after May, but opposing teams have figured him out again.

After the poor outing, Sasaki reflected on his performance, saying he needs to be better.

“I’m sure there are many reasons [for the struggles],” Sasaki said. “I have to figure out what they were and address them heading into the next start.”

Sasaki has seen his ERA jump back up with his recent results, with it now coming in at 5.40 for the season. The right-hander put together a solid run for four starts, showing what he is capable of, but he just hasn't been able to maintain any consistency.

May 17 vs. Los Angeles Angels: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
May 23 vs. Milwaukee Brewers: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER (3 R), 2 BB, 4 K
May 30 vs. Philadelphia Phillies: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
June 5 vs. Los Angeles Angels: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

The Dodgers have put a lot of faith in Sasaki being a full-time starting pitcher in the big leagues, but his overall performance hasn't lived up to the hype. Sasaki has seen his performances be very inconsistent, with his lows being highlighted more than ever before.

Sasaki will try to figure out what's been happening with his starts, and if he is tipping pitches, the Dodgers will work with him to stop it immediately. His next outing will be against the Colorado Rockies, giving him a chance to turn things around.

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