Is Roki Sasaki finally getting his rhythm back? It looks that way. A dip in form and lack of consistency seemed like taking a toll on Roki Sasaki, dragging down his 2025 season – and fast. Rumors swirled in the air about a possible demotion of the 23-year-old Japanese pitcher until he proved everyone wrong in the game between the Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He looked solid and manager Dave Roberts is hopeful of him, highlighting some key improvements of Sasaki.
During the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 8-4 comeback win against the Pirates, two Japanese stars made a big statement. While the superstar Shohei Ohtani managed to shed off his offensive struggles, the young pitcher Roki Sasaki also showed his mettle, literally putting the rumors of his demotion under covers.
Heaping praise on Sasaki, Roberts said, “I thought Roki was really good, you know, it might have been his best one of the year as far as the strike throwing and the efficiency and, you know, I thought he did a really nice job.”
What makes Dave Roberts think so?
With whispers around Roki Sasaki’s ticket to Triple-A getting stronger, it surely raised the eyebrows of many. However, Roki Sasaki finally showed some progress on Saturday, as he allowed only three runs on his five hits while managing two walks in his 5 2/3 innings and striking out four batters. With five starts in his major league career, the stats aren’t at all disappointing now. But when compared with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Yu Darvish, Sasaki is still a work in progress. During the post-match interview, Dave Roberts said, “I think that he understands that his stuff plays here, in the hitting zone or in the big leagues, um, stuff plays in the strike zone and, um, he’s just not pitching to the edges as much, I thought. There were some good fastball throws tonight and, uh, like I said, I just think he’s just gaining a lot more confidence.”
Roberts is true to his statement, as he threw some fastballs, and few even touched the 102 mph mark. In the 19.2 innings he pitched, Sasaki boasts a 3.20 ERA, which is quite solid. Despite his reputation for throwing triple-digit fastballs and his four-seamer, the young pitcher still has a long way to go. His fastball velocity took a major dip in 2024, as it came down to 97 mph, followed by shoulder discomfort as well.
Roberts, though, feels that Roki Sasaki has been gaining confidence gradually, and he hasn’t been pitching to the edges as much as he thought. He threw some good fastballs and even found the strike zones accurately multiple times, which is also an improvement Roberts highlighted when talking about Sasaki.
Amid all the debate surrounding Roki Sasaki, Dave Roberts made a surprising revelation about another pitcher. Who is it?
Dave Roberts shared a major update on another Dodgers pitcher
Remember the Dodgers’ pitcher, Tony Gonsolin, who was out of the game since 2023, has been expected to return to action soon. The 30-year-old pitcher is expected to be put into the roster, pulling him away from the injured list to make his start against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. The last time he played, on August 18, 2023, he managed five home runs and eight hits against the Marlins. Manager Dave Roberts revealed that Gonsolin was “dealing with an arm issue”, which eventually led him to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Not to forget that in 2023, Tony Gonsolin went 8-5, with a 4.98 ERA, 20 G, and 103.0 IP, while making 82 strikeouts at a 1.22 WHIP. He attempted to strengthen the team’s roster because the lineup was beset by injuries at the time, but his difficulties never truly affected his performance. He even started rehabilitating while making starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City in September. However, he was eventually left off, and the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees to win the World Series.
So, Gonsolin’s return can be a good sign for the Dodgers as their left-hander, Blake Snell Has been put on the injured list of players due to discomfort in his shoulders. Just like Roberts expects the best from him, we all feel the same that Gonsolin should regain his excellent form as soon as possible, don’t we?
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