Dodgers News: Roki Sasaki Likely Will Be on Wild Card Roster
In a new role, Roki Sasaki is expected to be on the Dodgers Wild Card roster as a bullpen arm
LOS ANGELES, CA—It was not the start to his career that Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers, or their fans had expected, but with the regular season over and the postseason set to begin, Sasaki has a chance to change that narrative.
Sasaki, 23, who was signed as an amateur international free agent this winter by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the dismay of many around the league, was set to be a significant piece for the team’s rotation, even making the Opening Day roster as the starter for Game Two of the season in Tokyo, Japan.
After his first eight starts of his Major League career, Sasaki posted very earthly numbers, posting a 4.72 ERA in 34.1 innings pitched while only striking out 15.6% of batters faced.
Faced with shaky results and diminished velocity, the Dodgers placed Sasaki on the 15-day injured list, where he would stay for most of the summer due to a shoulder injury.
However, during his recovery, Sasaki also worked with the Dodgers’ pitching coaches on refining his mechanics. Upon his return to the Los Angeles mound, we’ve seen a completely different pitcher.
With the starting rotation full of starters, Sasaki’s only way of making an impact for the team this season is in the bullpen, an area where he got two minor league appearances to work on and two appearances with the Major League team, a test that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes he has passed.
“I expect him to be on the roster,” Roberts said when asked whether he believes Sasaki would be on the postseason roster. The way he threw, the big games he’s pitched in before, that’s something I can trust,”
Despite the high praise, Roberts did not confirm whether Sasaki would be on the roster, stating that the organization was still discussing their plans for the young right-hander.
Los Angeles’ bullpen had a 4.27 ERA this season, matching Philadelphia for the highest among the six National League postseason teams. A fully healthy Sasaki could significantly boost that group.
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