Dodgers' Roki Sasaki Finally Feels Like Himself

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki has battled through major ups and downs this season, but he's been electric for the team of late.

Over his last three starts, Sasaki has started to settle down on the mound, showing why the Dodgers were so high on him in the first place. Sasaki saw real issues during spring training this year, and those struggles came into the early part of the year with him.

But he has pushed through it all, and the right-hander finally looks comfortable out on the mound. Sasaki discussed his recent success, saying that his body feels more comfortable now.

“This was the game in which I was able to pitch most like me,” Sasaki said after his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Since his start against the Los Angeles Angels on May 17, Sasaki has put together consistency for the Dodgers. Here's how his last three starts have looked:

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

“Fundamentally, what I did wasn’t particularly different from my last game,” Sasaki said. “I just think my body is moving better and better.”

Overall, Sasaki has thrown 51 innings this season while posting an ERA of 4.59 over 10 starts. The right-hander has pitched deeper in games of late, with him pitching at least five innings or more in six straight starts for the Dodgers.

"It gets into a new category of a real Major League starter for a championship team," Roberts said. "He still hasn't had a lot of professional innings, let alone Major League innings. But what he's doing right now, I think, is sustainable."

The Dodgers have stood firm on their belief that Sasaki would figure it out on the mound all year, even with calls to demote him to the minor leagues. Los Angeles has viewed Sasaki highly since they signed him before the 2025 season out of Japan, and they are finally seeing the results from that belief.

“We definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher,” president of baseball pperations Andrew Friedman said to The Athletic last month. “We are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game.”

The right-hander has made adjustments in how he approaches each batter, and opponents have taken note of this. His success has helped the Dodgers out greatly, especially with the team dealing with injuries to both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.

Add us as a preferred source on Google