Anthony Arroyo
ARLINGTON, TX—In perhaps his best start of the season, Dodgers phenom Roki Sasaki took the mound in today’s matchup against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander delivered an impressive outing, pitching six innings while allowing just two hits and two earned runs, striking out four batters and walking three. Though one of those hits was a home run, Sasaki continued to demonstrate growth and command, looking sharper with each outing.
After falling behind with two runs surrendered in the bottom of the third, the Dodgers responded quickly in the fourth. Freddie Freeman tied the game with a two-run homer, and Max Muncy followed with an RBI double that drove in Michael Conforto, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.
Following the seventh inning, Jack Dreyer took over in relief of Roki Sasaki and delivered an impressive performance out of the bullpen. Dreyer mowed down the Rangers’ lineup, tossing a scoreless inning without allowing a hit. It was another strong outing for Dreyer, who continues to be a reliable presence in relief for the Dodgers.
Evan Phillips made his season debut after being activated from the IL and looked sharp in his return, striking out two in just 0.2 innings of work. His presence will be crucial for the Dodgers’ bullpen, especially with Blake Treinen landing on the 15-day IL. Alex Vesia came in to record the final out of the eighth inning, striking out former Dodger Corey Seager in a key moment to preserve the lead.
In the ninth, Kirby Yates unfortunately surrendered a two-run walk-off home run to Adolis García, giving the Rangers a dramatic win in the series matchup.
Despite the tough loss, the Dodgers had many bright spots throughout the game. Roki Sasaki delivered his strongest outing of the season. At the same time, the bullpen trio of Jack Dreyer, Evan Phillips, and Alex Vesia turned in excellent performances to keep the game within reach.
Although the Dodgers came up short in today’s contest, they’ll have a chance to bounce back and take the series in tomorrow’s finale. Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to take the mound, with first pitch set for 11:35 a.m. PDT.
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