Rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday amid a spate of bullpen breakdowns ahead of the postseason. His first appearance was encouraging, to say the least.
With the Dodgers up 3-1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks entering the seventh inning, Sasaki threw a scoreless frame of relief, with two strikeouts and a groundout against the back half of the Arizona lineup, on only 13 pitches. Just as importantly, his fastball sat at 99 mph after averaging only 96 earlier this season.
Sasaki maxed out at 100 mph.
The Dodgers activated Sasaki from the 60-day injured list earlier Wednesday, sending reliever Kirby Yates to the IL due to a hamstring strain in a corresponding move. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about the moves with reporters and confirmed that Sasaki will work out of the bullpen. The manager said the rookie will have a chance in the team’s final games of the season to earn a role for the postseason.
Sasaki, who joined the Dodgers from Japan in the offseason amid much fanfare, last pitched for Los Angeles on May 9. The Dodgers sent him to the injured list due to a shoulder impingement on May 13 after a disappointing month in the big leagues.
The hope in Los Angeles now is that Sasaki can overcome his early-season struggles and contribute to a bullpen that desperately needs help. Roberts was asked Wednesday what he expects to see out of Sasaki.
“Convicted throws, knowing that it’s gonna be short bursts, certainly, compared to what he’s been used to,” Roberts said. “I just think that giving everything that he has for an inning or two at a time, that’s kind of what I see.
“And let the performance play out. Just go after guys and be on the attack.”
A 23-year-old phenom, Sasaki joined the Dodgers as part of their starting rotation, but he made just eight starts before landing on the injured list. He struggled in those starts, producing a 4.72 ERA and 1.485 WHIP with 24 strikeouts and 22 walks in 34 1/3 innings.
His velocity was a major red flag, as Sasaki was nowhere close to the speeds he posted during his best years in Japan. That was a known issue when the Dodgers signed him, as Sasaki reportedly questioned potential suitors about what they believed to be the source of his downturn in velocity in his final season with the Chiba Lotte Marines.
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With his fastball only in the mid-90s, opponents feasted on it, slugging .494 against the offering while whiffing only 10.1% of the time. Wednesday included an encouraging development on that front, as the D-backs swung only twice at Sasaki’s fastball and whiffed both times.
The Dodgers’ bullpen, meanwhile, has experienced multiple meltdowns in the stretch run of the season. As of Tuesday, relievers Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen had accounted for all of the Dodgers’ seven losses since Sept. 4.
Roki Sasaki is back with the Dodgers, just in time for a potential postseason appearance. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Norm Hall via Getty Images)
The Dodgers have clinched a playoff berth and hold a 2.5-game lead over the Padres in the race for the NL West. But their bullpen woes have been of significant concern as they seek to repeat as World Series champions. The Dodgers’ bullpen surrendered a 4-1 lead on Wednesday night before L.A. recovered to win in extra innings, 5-4. In addition to Sasaki’s return, Clayton Kershaw also pitched in relief for the first time since 2019, throwing a scoreless ninth inning.
Sasaki and Kershaw could continue to provide other options to shore up the ‘pen.
Roberts, meanwhile, didn’t rule out a return for Yates in the postseason. That said, he has been a significant part of the Dodgers’ bullpen struggles. An All-Star with the Rangers in 2024, Yates joined the Dodgers on a one-year, $13 million contract in the offseason. He has posted a 5.23 ERA in 50 appearances this season.
Roberts cited the hamstring injury as a cause of Yates’ struggles, saying that Yates has been dealing with the injury for “quite some time.”
“We’re gonna retroactive him and try to get him back for something down the road,” Roberts said.
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