In his first spring training appearance on Wednesday in Scottsdale, Arizona, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki experienced difficulties commanding his pitches, surrendering three runs, three hits, and two walks over 1⅓ innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Japanese right-hander is aiming to secure a spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation after a strong showing as a reliever during last season’s playoffs.
Performance Breakdown and Pitching Details
Sasaki exhibited flashes of his typical power fastball and splitter, managing three strikeouts during the outing, but struggled with control, throwing only 17 strikes out of 36 total pitches. He also incorporated a cutter as he attempted to develop a third reliable pitch. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted some signs of pressing early on.
“I haven’t seen that all spring. It’s probably just getting into live competition. I thought he was a little too bullish on the fastball, but he was getting behind in the first inning.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager
The pitcher allowed a hard-hit single to Geraldo Perdomo to start the game followed by a walk to Tim Tawa. After one out, Nolan Arenado’s line-drive double brought in Perdomo, and another double by Ildemaro Vargas drove in Tawa and Arenado, giving the Diamondbacks a 3-0 lead.
Following a mound visit from pitching coach Mark Prior, Sasaki recovered to strike out Jordan Lawlar and Ryan Waldschmidt, ending the inning. In the second inning, he struck out Druw Jones but then walked Aramis Garcia before being replaced. His fastball reached a velocity of 98.6 mph during the outing.
Manager’s Perspective and Sasaki’s Development
Roberts emphasized caution about reading too much into a single spring appearance, particularly given the heightened attention on Sasaki as a promising young pitcher.
“I think the first thing is he’s got to mix better and command the fastball,”
Roberts said.
“I just attribute it to first-game adrenaline. But yeah, you want to see progress from everyone, especially someone like Roki who is trying to build off of last year.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager
Sasaki’s Background and Postseason Impact
The 24-year-old right-hander entered the major leagues in 2025 amid significant expectations but saw limited regular season action, finishing with a 1-1 record and a 4.46 ERA over 36⅓ innings. He appeared in 10 games, including eight starts, but missed more than four months due to a right shoulder impingement. Sasaki made a notable return in September, becoming a vital bullpen contributor during the postseason by allowing just one earned run across 10⅔ innings and securing three saves that helped the Dodgers clinch their second consecutive World Series title.
Sasaki secured a minor league contract last offseason with a $6.5 million signing bonus, becoming the 13th Japanese player in Dodgers history. His performance in spring training will be closely watched as he attempts to transition into a starter role for the upcoming season.
