The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 season with two targets: to repeat as World Sequence champions and to develop Roki Sasaki on the main league degree.
To this point, so good for the primary purpose. The Dodgers entered Saturday at 26-13, tied with the Detroit Tigers for the best record within the majors. As pitchers similar to Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow start to work their method again from the injured list, the Dodgers might be rather more formidable quickly.
The identical can’t be stated for Sasaki’s transition to the majors. Pitching on 5 days’ relaxation for the first time this season, and with the roof open at Chase Subject, Sasaki was walloped within the Dodgers’ eventual 14-11 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night time. He allowed 5 runs on 5 hits, together with a pair of dwelling runs and two walks in four-plus innings, failing to strike out a batter.
Sasaki had displayed indicators of progress earlier than Friday’s outing. He had lasted at the very least 5 innings in his earlier 4 begins, posting a 3.74 ERA and a 1.200 WHIP over 21.2 innings, putting out 15 batters with 9 walks. Sasaki will not be dominating, however he received higher every begin.
Friday was a step again. He struggled from the outset, permitting two homers within the first inning. Sasaki’s fastball was an issue once more as he threw 36 fastballs with out producing a whiff on 12 swings in opposition to. He averaged simply 94.7 MPH with the fastball, his lowest velocity of the season.
Whereas it’s straightforward to level to the shorter relaxation for Sasaki’s struggles vs. the D-backs, his fastball has been an ongoing difficulty. His 10.14% whiff fee on his four-seamer is the sixth worst of any starting pitcher to throw at the very least 100 fastballs. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reported that Sasaki is not sure why his fastball is less than expectations, saying by way of his interpreter that he and the Dodgers are “nonetheless in [the] strategy of discovering out what the basis trigger” is.
Time will not be on Sasaki’s facet. The Dodgers’ pitching employees will return important items within the rotation shortly. In the meantime, Los Angeles will try and fend off the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants for the NL West crown. Until Sasaki and the Dodgers work out his fastball woes, a trek to the minors could also be in his future.
