Japanese star Roki Sasaki just pitched the best game of his baseball career. He threw seven scoreless innings and struck out 10 batters in a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels. After the amazing game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted he felt guilty. Roberts confessed that he expected the 24-year-old’s move from Japan to be easy. But realized this was unfair and that Sasaki needed time to adjust.

“This is the guy that we saw on video in Japan and that we hoped to get. I think we are all guilty of expecting it to be seamless. He’s gone through some tough times, some doubts, but he’s gotten to the other side,” said manager Roberts after the 1-0 win.

The expectations surrounding Sasaki were enormous from the moment he signed with the Dodgers. Instead of becoming an ace, Sasaki had an ERA of 4.46 in 8 starts in 2025. Things got even worse after a shoulder injury sidelined him for over four months and delayed his development. But even then, Sasaki showed flashes of his talent out of the Dodgers’ bullpen in the postseason and did a good job, as he has an ERA of just 0.84 in the postseason.

But those questions started to pop up during the 2026 offseason. And the Angels are a perfect example to show his development. During the spring training game in March against the Los Angeles Angels, Roki Sasaki earned five runs, walked six batters, and threw only 32 strikes.

When spring was over, Sasaki had an ERA of 15.58 in 8.2 innings and 15 walks. At that point, many wondered if the Dodgers were going to send him down to the minors to help him get better. But since then, Sasaki looks like a different pitcher. He fixed his grip and started throwing a harder pitch called a splitter that reaches 90 mph. He also added a new pitch called a slider-cutter. The results are huge.

In Thursday’s game against the Angels, Sasaki pitched one of his best games. He gave up only two hits and threw 72 strikes out of 98 pitches. Over his last four games, Sasaki has an amazing 1.48 ERA. His finding his form is huge for the Dodgers. They have a strong 41-23 record and are looking to clinch their third straight World Series. For that to happen, they need reliable starting pitchers for the postseason.

For a pitcher who spent most of his time battling injuries, inconsistency, and questions about his future, this stretch has changed the conversation for Roki Sasaki. And this was very important for the Los Angeles Dodgers, especially after the news about the Tarik Skubal trade.

The Dodgers’ dream of signing Tarik Skubal takes a massive hit

Tarik Skubal has become the biggest name for the trade deadline this season. Every contender that is searching for an arm seems to be linked to him. The rumors only got stronger after the Tigers’ struggles to show consistent wins after Skubal’s injury. But before landing on the IL, Skubal had an ERA of 2.70 with 45 strikeouts. As the deadline approaches, executives around MLB are watching the Tigers and Skubal very closely.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that there are four leading contenders to sign Skubal. The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres are seen as the favorites. These clubs can absorb the remaining $32 million on Skubal’s contract. And the teams also have decent prospect depth, which gives them an advantage in this blockbuster trade. The Braves are another possible team.

And all these possibilities create a major challenge for the Dodgers, who are supposed to be the best spot for Skubal. Dodgers beat writer Blake Harris noted that the Dodgers cannot assume they will have perfect rotation health until October.

Just as trade rumors started to get hot, Detroit started changing the conversation. The Tigers have recently put together a 4-game winning streak after weeks of struggles. That stretch has moved them closer to the AL Wild Card spot, but they are still 5.5 games off.

If Detroit remains within striking distance, trading Skubal becomes much harder to justify. For top teams that were hoping to sign him, the standings might start to dictate the conversation more than money and prospects.