After getting signed by Dodgers for a $7.26M contract, Roki Sasaki struggled in his first eight starts in the Major Leagues. He posted a 4.72 ERA with an even higher FIP of 6.18, and his control was a major issue, as evidenced by a 14.3% walk rate. Then, in mid-May, he suffered a shoulder injury, which landed him on a rehab assignment.

The Dodgers’ goal for his rehab assignment was to not only build up his arm strength but also help him regain the confidence that they believe he lost during his initial struggles in the big leagues. He has had three rehab starts since.

In his initial rehab start with Oklahoma City last Thursday, Sasaki struggled to get through the third inning. After throwing 41 pitches, he was pulled from the game without recording an out in the inning. He gave up three runs on six hits, walked one batter, and failed to record a single strikeout. His fastball velocity was also noticeably down, averaging just 93.6 mph.

In his second rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki pitched 3 1/3 innings and threw 60 pitches. The 23-year-old gave up two runs, one of which was earned, on three hits. He also walked three batters and struck out two.

His third outing came on Tuesday night.

Starting against the Memphis Redbirds, Sasaki showed a noticeable improvement in velocity. His four-seam fastball averaged 96.4 mph, reaching a top speed of 98.8 mph—a significant increase from his previous outing. Over 3 2/3 innings, he threw 75 pitches, 47 for strikes, and recorded four strikeouts, but also walked two batters and gave up three earned runs on five hits.

However, his usual struggle, unable to find strike zone, popped up again. DodgersAfterDuty’s official X handle posted: “#Dodgers Roki Sasaki is through one inning. Having trouble finding the strike zone, missing high and outside. 21 P / 11 S / 1 IP / 1 H / 1 ER / 1 BB / 1 K. ”

This inconsistency was noted by MLB insider Bob Nightengale. “The Dodgers no longer can count on rookie Roki Sasaki helping them down the stretch,” he wrote, adding, “he has thrown 59 fastballs through his two rehab starts, and has generated only one swing-and-miss.” Saraki is aware of his concerns too!

Roki Saraki’s honest admission of his struggles

Back in late March, Saraki made his not-so-expected Dodger Stadium debut. He allowed four walks, gave up two runs on three hits, and couldn’t even complete the second inning. He questioned his own game mechanics, saying, “Overall, I didn’t feel like I had a great feel for my mechanics… My slider felt pretty good, but my fastball and split, both in terms of velocity and command, weren’t there…”. 

Coming back to the present, manager Dave Roberts was optimistic after his first rehab and said, “We gotta build him up, number one. We gotta get that velocity up. Once we get to three or four outings, we need to start to see performance.”

But the manager set a goal post for his young pitcher’s chances in the lineup. He said then, “At the end of the day, we’re going to go with our 13 best pitchers. His talent is there, certainly. But he’s also got to perform, too.”

But we can not ignore that the rotation is already stacked with players Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Clayton Kershaw, and the ultimate X-factor, Shohei Ohtani. And for the Dodgers, with a 76-57 record, and just 30 games left for the season, and a thin one-game lead in the division, they are simply in no position to take any more risks. Saraki definitely needs to perform, as Roberts stressed.