The X-factor for the Los Angeles Dodgers! Roki Sasaki withdraws from the Classic to compete for a starting rotation spot.

The Dodgers’ lineup for the upcoming season is mostly set, with the team heading to their Arizona spring training base on February 13th, U.S. time. While core stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman remain stable, 24-year-old Japanese pitching prospect Roki Sasaki, entering his second MLB season, remains the biggest variable and mystery on the team.

The Dodgers invested heavily to sign Sasaki, and despite his inconsistent rookie season last year, the team holds high hopes for him. To focus on securing a spot in the starting rotation, Sasaki has chosen not to represent Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC). Head coach Dave Roberts told U.S. media clearly, “We’ll give him every opportunity to compete for the fifth or sixth starting spot.”

Sasaki is regarded as Japan’s most talented pitcher, dominating Nippon Professional Baseball with a 100 mph fastball and an exceptional forkball. However, his adjustment to MLB last year was challenging, facing physical and control issues, and he was placed on the injured list in mid-May due to shoulder impingement syndrome. He only returned as a reliever in the final week of the regular season but surprisingly became a bullpen hero in the playoffs, earning three saves in four appearances with an ERA of just 0.84.

Starting role challenge: developing a third pitch

Although his heroic playoff performance brought renewed attention, Roberts pointed out that to transition from reliever back to starter, Sasaki must make adjustments. “In my view, he needs to develop a third pitch,” Roberts explained. Relying solely on a fastball and forkball is sufficient for short relief outings, but as a starter facing lineups two or three times, he needs a pitch that moves laterally—such as a slider or curveball—to left-handed hitters outside or right-handed hitters inside to keep batters off balance.

Mental adjustment becomes crucial

Beyond technical skills, mindset is also key. Known for his strong personal opinions, Roberts acknowledged that it’s not easy for a young player who has found success using a specific approach to admit shortcomings and embrace new ideas. Still, he hopes Sasaki can maintain confidence while showing humility in accepting advice.

Roberts quoted a famous saying: “The game will tell you the answer.” In the past, Shohei Ohtani adapted to MLB by abandoning his high leg kick from Japan; Clayton Kershaw developed a slider to better handle hitters. Now, the game is sending a message to Sasaki: he must add a new pitch to his arsenal, which will be crucial for securing a stable starting role in the majors.