Roki Sasaki's final spring training outing remains shaky, Dodgers face uncertainty

From inning to inning, and especially from start to start, the Los Angeles Dodgers can never be sure what Roki Sasaki will bring to the mound.

From the outset of camp, the Dodgers have been steadfast in their belief that Sasaki will be part of the Opening Day starting rotation. Manager Dave Roberts recently stated he "can't see a scenario where Sasaki doesn't start with the team." However, so far, Sasaki's performances in spring training games have not provided much confidence.

In terms of runs allowed, Sasaki's final Cactus League start might have been his best, yet it remained inconsistent.

In today's game at Surprise Stadium against the Kansas City Royals, Sasaki ultimately contributed to a 10-4 win. He pitched 3.1 innings, recorded five strikeouts, but also issued four walks, allowed four hits, and gave up three earned runs. In terms of building up his pitch count, Sasaki met the Dodgers' requirement by throwing 71 pitches. However, he did not alter the perception of his spring training performance. Overall, in three Cactus League starts, he has a 1-0 record with a high ERA of 13.50.

“There are many areas I need to improve,” Sasaki said via translator, “but this is just spring training, so I just need to keep working. The results in spring training don’t matter.”

Indeed, for players with secure spots on the MLB roster, spring training results are insignificant. But to retain his rotation spot once Blake Snell and Gavin Stone return from injury later in the season, Sasaki needs to prove he is a capable MLB pitcher.

“I think getting him to the fifth inning is progress. The stuff was good, so it's continued progress. The pitch count is up,” Roberts said, “But for Roki, the key is still to be efficient, to get through innings, and to make adjustments quicker.”

Sasaki showed some encouraging stretches, but they were interrupted by moments where the game seemed to accelerate. He retired seven of the first nine batters, but lost his command abruptly after one out in the third inning. Sasaki issued consecutive walks, loading the bases, prompting Roberts to remove him. Sasaki attributed the worsening control to throwing a new sinker.

Sasaki returned to pitch the fourth inning, striking out the first batter, but then allowed a single and a two-run homer, followed by another strikeout. After that, he threw three straight balls to Jonathan India, leading Roberts and a trainer to check on him. Sasaki later said his legs were "about to cramp," but he stayed in the game and retired India. Sasaki came back for the fifth inning but was removed after Starling Marte led off with a double.

The Dodgers have praised Sasaki's performance on the back fields, but that hasn't translated into official game results. The only exception was a dominant "B game" start against Chicago White Sox minor leaguers.

After each start, Sasaki mentions his pitching mechanics. This has been a trend since last year. Last September, adjustments to his lower half helped increase his velocity. Earlier this spring, issues arose with his upper body. Later, he found a key adjustment to improve his delivery, but today a new mechanical problem emerged.

Sasaki likely possesses the talent to become an effective MLB pitcher. His fastball sits around 99 mph, his splitter is devastating, and his cutter is improving. But without command and confidence, he remains one of the Dodgers' biggest unknowns.

“I’m not worried about the results,” Roberts said, “What’s more important is being able to make adjustments quicker within the game. Because you won’t always have your best stuff, you won’t always have perfect command. But you still need to find ways to get hitters out.”