The Los Angeles Dodgers officially clinched a playoff spot on Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. But it was Wednesday night’s game that hinted at a bigger postseason development: rookie Roki Sasaki may have found his place — and his form — in the bullpen.
“Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was elated to see the difference and confidence in rookie Roki Sasaki tonight: ‘He looked like a different person,’” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale posted.
In his first relief outing, Sasaki delivered a perfect inning in a tight game against the Diamondbacks, proving the role change might be exactly what he needed.
“Sasaki, who was activated from the 60-day injured list before the game, looked impressive in a 1-2-3 inning. He struck out two, including Ildemaro Vargas swinging on a 99 mph fastball, and departed with the Dodgers leading 3-1,” ESPN wrote.
He followed it up with another dominant inning on Friday night, further cementing his case as a legitimate bullpen weapon for October.
“Roki Sasaki with another shutdown inning in relief. He had 2 strikeouts and 4 whiffs on 12 pitches. He got Cal Raleigh on this ugly swing and miss. He also touched 100.1 mph. The Dodgers bullpen has quite the weapon for October,” Dodgers Nation’s Noah Camras posted.
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After Friday’s outing, manager Dave Roberts confirmed Sasaki will be shut down for the rest of the regular season, a move that signals his next appearance could come when it matters most.
“Sasaki pitched on one day of rest on Friday, and previously got two days off in between his other relief outings. Roberts said Sasaki will not make it into the final two games of the regular season,” MLB.com’s Sonya Chen wrote.
This likely sets the stage for Sasaki to be ready and rested for Tuesday’s postseason opener — a remarkable turnaround for a pitcher who, just a week ago, wasn’t expected to contribute in October.
The Dodgers may have found a gem — a young arm who can give everything for one electric inning. And if his early bullpen outings are any indication, this might not just be a postseason experiment. Sasaki could be a long-term force in this role.