Skip to main content
Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Notes: LA Officially Releases Prospect, Roki Sasaki Talks Potential Demotion, Dalton Rushing Warned

All the latest Dodgers news and notes.
Noah Camras|
Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) is taken out from the game by manager Dave Roberts (right) during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) is taken out from the game by manager Dave Roberts (right) during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In this story:

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the Houston Astros, 2-1, on Tuesday night to fall to 22-14 on the year.

The Dodgers got another strong pitching start from Shohei Ohtani, as he completed seven innings for the first time this season, allowing two runs while striking out eight.

However, the Dodgers offense mustered just one run on a Kyle Tucker RBI single in the eighth inning. The Dodgers have now lost Ohtani's last three starts despite him allowing a total of just three runs in those games. Ohtani hasn't hit in his last two starts.

“Offense, including myself, hasn’t done a great job scoring runs. And if there was a situation where, if I was hitting well, I’m sure the team would want me to pitch and hit as well,” Ohtani said through his interpreter after the game. “But I understand, in a situation where, ‘Hey, just focus on pitching, turn the page on the hitting,’ I understand that the team might think like that."

“He’s doing his job. He’s pitching, he’s doing everything he can to help the team win. And we as an offense need to find ways to score runs for him,” infielder Miguel Rojas said after the game. “It’s not because he’s not in the lineup that we’re not scoring runs. He’s just focusing on pitching on those days. It’s really hard to do what he’s doing. He’s taking the ball every five or six days, and he’s doing what he’s supposed to do to win the game.

"So it’s on us. And we have plenty of hitters in this lineup that can get the job done. We haven’t been able to do it the last couple starts. But we’re looking forward to do it the next 20 starts.”

Before the game, the Dodgers released a former top international prospect, per the team's transaction log. The 21-year-old right-handed pitcher hadn't pitched since 2024 as he underwent Tommy John surgery. Now, he'll look for his next home in professional baseball.

In other news, right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki recently addressed a potential demotion to the minor leagues.

With Blake Snell nearing a return to the rotation, Sasaki knows that someone is going to have to be replaced. That player will either be Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan or Justin Wrobleski, barring an injury to someone else. Sasaki knows he has to just focus on himself, though, and not worry about what might happen.

“Someone coming in means someone will have to go out, of course," Sasaki sad. "But I have to focus on my own performances, and the importance of throwing the ball well doesn’t change regardless of the situation."

Finally, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts issued a warning to catcher Dalton Rushing, whose fiery personality has put him in the spotlight multiple times early this season.

Roberts urged his catcher to tone things down, and let his play do the talking.

“He’s bringing stuff onto himself he doesn’t need to bring on,” Roberts said. “There’s a responsibility to not be reckless because everything is captured.”

Here’s more information on these stories and all the latest Dodgers news (click the headline for the full article):

Dodgers Officially Release Former Top International Prospect

Dodgers' Roki Sasaki Addresses Potential Demotion to Minor Leagues

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Sends Warning to Dalton Rushing to 'Not Be Reckless'

Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski Achieves Rare Feat Not Seen in 35 Years

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Reverses Course on Shohei Ohtani Decision for Tuesday's Game

Dodgers Lineup vs Astros: Shohei Ohtani and Hyeseong Kim Out

Dodgers Tweets of the Day

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Noah Camras
NOAH CAMRAS

Noah Camras graduated from the University of Southern California in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in sports media studies. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and has extensively covered Southern California sports in his career. Noah is the publisher of Dodgers on SI after contributing as a writer and editor over the last three years.

Share on XFollow noahcamras
Home/News