Roki Sasaki’s command problems followed him all the way to Dodger Stadium.
In Monday’s Freeway Series game against the Angels, Sasaki failed to record a single out in the first inning, throwing 21 pitches and allowing two runs before being pulled. He issued three walks and hit a batter while throwing just eight strikes. Spring Training re-entry rules allowed him to return and build his pitch count, but the outing ended with four earned runs, six walks and two hit batters across two innings and 61 pitches.
Manager Dave Roberts had sent a clear message before the game.
“Tonight we need to see him in compete mode,” Roberts said. “There’s a time to work on your mechanics, and there’s a time to go out there and compete. Once the game starts, it’s about getting hitters out.”
Sasaki acknowledged things did not go as planned.
“The results were really bad today, so I couldn’t really find it,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “I’m just going to focus on coming into the regular season.”
The 24-year-old has spent the past month trying to add a new cutter and slider to complement his fastball and splitter. Roberts admitted the new pitch is still a work in progress and that Sasaki has not yet gained full confidence in it. His spring ERA stands at 14.54.
Roberts said the standard needs to improve but that the organization is not losing faith.
“It hasn’t been great. It really hasn’t,” Roberts said. “We know that the standard needs to be better. He knows that. And now it’s go time and see how he can perform when the lights come on.”
Roberts also said he delivered a different, more supportive message to Sasaki directly.
“We’re still kind of trying to learn and get better and acclimate,” Roberts said. “I believe in him. I told him that in the dugout. I’m going to keep pouring into him like our staff is and expect it to get better.”
The command struggles are a concern for a Dodgers rotation already without Blake Snell and Gavin Stone, both of whom begin the year on the injured list. If Sasaki cannot provide length early in the season, the bullpen will face significant pressure from the opening week.
Los Angeles opens the regular season Thursday at home against the Diamondbacks. Sasaki is projected to make his first start Monday in Cleveland.
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