Roki Sasaki reborn: Dodgers’ Japanese phenom is forcing his way back into the rotation

Roki Sasaki’s rookie season with the Los Angeles Dodgers was anything but smooth. His MLB debut was rough, his outings were inconsistent, and injuries knocked him out of the 2025 postseason rotation. Now, in his second year, the Japanese right‑hander is chasing redemption — and early signs suggest he’s on the right track.

Sasaki delivered a dominant outing in his most recent Minor League appearance against the Chicago White Sox, a performance designed to rebuild his confidence on the mound. He allowed just one hit, struck out nine, and needed only 59 pitches — 40 of them strikes — while generating 17 swinging strikes. Those numbers have Dodgers manager Dave Roberts fired up, especially with Blake Snell and Gavin Stone sidelined.

“He’s been unstoppable”

“I’d bet his performance is only going to trend upward,” Roberts told reporters after Sasaki’s latest outings. “You couldn’t ask for a better day. The splitter still gets hit if it leaks into the zone, but when his fastball is located, it’s really effective.”

Roberts added: “There’s value in getting outs and making hitters miss. Today’s goal was simple: build him up and give him confidence. And we did that.”

Sasaki: “It’s all about mechanics”

Sasaki, now fully aware of how demanding it is to be a starting pitcher in the majors — especially for a franchise with expectations as high as the Dodgers — knows Year 2 has to be better than Year 1. And he’s encouraged by the progress he’s making start after start.

“It’s all about mechanics. If my mechanics are really good, I think my command will be good too,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “I kept the same adjustments from last time and added a few more in other areas. They helped me move better.”

With the Dodgers dealing with rotation injuries and Sasaki showing real growth, his opportunity is right in front of him. And this time, he looks ready to seize it.

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