OKLAHOMA CITY — After being sidelined since May with a right shoulder impingement, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie phenom Roki Sasaki made his first official rehab start with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets on Thursday. The outing, while a positive step in his return, yielded mixed results.
The Dodgers had hoped for Sasaki to complete three innings and approximately 45 pitches. However, the right-hander’s outing was cut short after he failed to retire the first two batters of the third inning. He finished with a final line of 2+ innings pitched, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk. He did not record a strikeout. His line for the night faced 13 batters / 2 IP / 41 P / 25 S / 6 H / 2 ER / 1 BB.
Sasaki’s fastball velocity, which had reportedly sat in the 96-97 mph range during a simulated game last week, was down slightly, averaging 93.6 mph and topping out at 95.7 mph. While his command was a bit spotty, with a lack of swings and misses on his fastball, some positive takeaways were noted. Reports indicate that his off-speed pitches, including his splitter and slider, were well-located and effective.
The 23-year-old, a highly-touted international signee, has been on the injured list since May 13. He struggled to find his footing in his first taste of the big leagues, posting a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before the injury. During his time off, Sasaki has been focusing on his mechanics and working on adding a two-seam fastball to his repertoire, though he did not throw it in Thursday’s game.
The Dodgers are taking a cautious approach with Sasaki’s return, emphasizing the need for him to build confidence and be fully stretched out before rejoining the Major League rotation. The timeline for his return is dependent on his progression, but the hope is that he can be back with the club in late August or early September once he reaches the five-inning/75-pitch mark.
Sasaki was not the only Dodgers pitcher to begin a rehab assignment for OKC on Thursday. Michael Kopech, working his way back from right knee surgery, also struggled, allowing three runs in just 2/3 of an inning.
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