Roki Sasaki has had some hype around him since he joined the Dodgers in January last year. But the hype has taken a rather sharp and uncomfortable turn during this year’s spring training. The Japanese RHP was pulled after two innings in the last game as he struggled to find command and rhythm. Amidst all the noise, the Dodgers manager has come forward to let his thoughts be known.

“Results weren’t good today. My mechanics were a little off, but I’ll keep improving,” Sasaki said in the postgame interview.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a lone example when Sasaki was pulled this spring. He has lost command on three occasions out of four starts. February 25 against the Diamondbacks, then March 17 against the Royals, and finally March 23 against the Angels. 

This has started to appear like a pattern. Across these four games, Sasaki pitched only 8 2/3 innings in total, allowing 15 walks and managing only 12 strikeouts. The game against the Angels on March 23 was particularly a low point for him. 

Sasaki delivered 66 pitches with only 32 strikes. But he failed to strike out more than two hitters. He also issued six walks in two innings and hit the batter two times. His 13.50 ERA translated to a final spring total of 15.58, attracting criticism from all directions. 

However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has decided to keep faith in him. 

“I don’t think that you can completely bank on or evaluate spring training or an exhibition game,” Roberts said. “But yeah, it hasn’t been great. It really hasn’t. And we know that. The standard needs to be better. He knows that. We know that. And now, it’s kinda go time, and see how he can perform when the lights come on.”

The backing from the manager doesn’t come without a reason. Roki Sasaki has dominated the hitters in Japan with his excellent swing-and-miss potential. He joined the LA side for $6.5 million in 2025 as a frontline arm, and he delivered a 0.84 ERA in the postseason. 

Sasaki also pitched three innings, which is historically rare for a rookie. He played a key role in Game 4 of the NLDS that clinched the series against the Phillies. 

Notably, Sasaki had trouble with his command in his rookie year as well. His 2025 spring ERA of 4.72 was not as bad as his 2026. But the way he recovered and stepped up deserves some faith after all. 

“I believe in him, I really do,” Roberts said as questions arose about having Sasaki in the Opening Day roster. The manager wants to support him despite his recent struggles, but Dodgers Nation isn’t too patient with the pitcher. 

Fans push back hard as they want Roki Sasaki moved to the bullpen or demoted

Despite the trust shown in Sasaki by Dave Roberts, the fans don’t seem to be backing him. They took to social media to give their opinion on the Japanese pitcher.

“He’s not ready. Long relief or send him down to figure it out,” one fan wrote. 

Sasaki’s ERA and the number of walks aren’t the only problems as the Dodgers approach Opening Day. His fastball dipped to 98 mph from averaging around 99-101 in the postseason. This spring, he has even thrown a few 95-97 mph as well. 

That’s why people think he should be moved to the bullpen, where he can flourish again like last season. Or he can even be sent to Triple-A to sharpen his pitches and improve command. 

“Reliever or closer would be a better fit for him. Obviously, he can’t go long innings. Plus, he needs to improve his control,” another user echoed the same idea. 

“He needs to be sent down and spend the better part of the season developing his third pitch and come back as a reliever,” read one comment. 

In Japan, Sasaki was able to dominate with his triple-digit four-seam fastballs and nasty forkballs. But for MLB, that is too thin a mix for an elite pitcher. Fans suggest that he works on a cutter during the regular season so that he can be of better use in the late season and even the playoffs. 

One fan wrote, “Yamamoto did not struggle as long as Roki did. At this point, Roki should be doing better. I say turn him into a reliever; otherwise, send him down.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are two of the biggest Japanese pitchers signed in MLB in recent years. Yamamoto was the undisputed king in NPB with three straight MVPs. But he struggled in his first spring training as well. 

The fans are pointing out that Yamamoto never struggled after finding his footing, while Sasaki is at his all-time low this spring. 

“I’ll go out on a limb and say that signing Roki may turn out to be a mistake. At this point, the Dodgers should consider either trading him or sending him down to the minors. Otherwise, there’s a real risk he ends up following a path similar to Fujinami’s,” a fan stretched it beyond demotion. 

Shintaro Fujinami, Shohei Ohtani’s once rival, was another flamethrower from Japan. He struggled with the Athletics as his command was off and his ERA skyrocketed. He was termed ‘unhittable’, but the number of walks allowed made him a bad investment. 

Fans fear that Sasaki might be heading for the same path, proving him a bad investment for the Dodgers. The back-to-back World Series winners can’t afford such a mistake. Hence, the call for trading Sasaki finds ground. 

Roki Sasaki isn’t a bad pitcher, but his struggles during this spring training have been too real to ignore. While manager Roberts has chosen to back him for now, the scene may change very soon unless Sasaki shows heavy improvement. And if he fails, Sasaki won’t be the only one facing backlash from the fans.