The Los Angeles Dodgers hoped that pitcher Roki Sasaki would return to the form he showed in Japan after a stint on the injured list. That time may be further away than the Dodgers anticipated.
According to Fabian Aranda of The Athletic, manager Dave Roberts announced that Sasaki has paused his throwing program. Sasaki is still feeling soreness in his shoulder and, while he will not undergo further imaging, the question is now if, not when, he will return this season.
Sasaki had struggled in his first taste of the majors. He posted a 4.72 ERA and a 1.485 WHiP over his 34.1 innings, striking out 24 batters with 22 walks. Although he has shown flashes of his potential, Sasaki hasn’t quite seemed comfortable on the major league mound.
That performance was a far cry from the pitcher Sasaki was in Japan. He had posted a 2.10 ERA and a 0.894 WHiP in his 394.2 innings over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines, striking out 505 batters with 88 walks. He fired a perfect game in 2022, tying the NPB record with 19 strikeouts, and followed that outing with eight more perfect innings in his next start.
The consensus top overall prospect in baseball entering 2025, Sasaki has the type of stuff to succeed at the major league level. His fastball has hit triple digits in the past, although he has lost some velocity since 2023. Sasaki’s splitter was considered one of the best pitches on the planet and paired nicely with a plus slider. The biggest question mark was whether or not Sasaki could stay healthy as he missed time in each of the previous three seasons.
Sasaki still has plenty of time to reach his potential and emerge as another top-of-the-rotation starter for the Dodgers. That time, though, may come later than expected.
