Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted starter Roki Sasaki had a subpar spring training campaign following Monday’s game.
Sasaki has had trouble with control throughout the spring — walking 15 batters and hitting two batsmen — and finished his spring campaign with a 15.58 ERA. He allowed three or more runs in all of his MLB level starts in 2026, but managed a solid outing on the Dodgers’ minor league side.
“I don’t think that you can completely bank on or evaluate spring training or an exhibition game. But yeah, it hasn’t been great,” Roberts said. “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.”
Roberts continued to say he still has belief in Sasaki, though, and says his coaches can help Sasaki clean up his act, per the California Post’s Jack Harris.
“I believe in him, I really do,” Roberts said. “I told him that in the dugout.”
“[There are] a few things that I think we can clean up that the pitching guys identified, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
Roberts’ faith isn’t misplaced, as Sasaki has shown before he has the capability to bounce back from a set of rough starts. The Dodgers moved Sasaki to the bullpen after his return from injury towards the end of 2025, and he put together an extremely important and dominant run in the postseason.
How Did Roki Sasaki Rebound in 2025?
Sasaki spent a majority of last season on the injured list, returning to the team just before the playoffs began. He secured his spot on the postseason roster after two strong appearances out of the bullpen, backed by a return to his normal velocity due to some tweaks in his mechanics.
He had a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 postseason innings in 2025, earning his first few MLB saves in the process.
Sasaki has shown that a confident version of himself is one of the most dominant pitchers in the league, so the Dodgers’ biggest challenge at the moment is getting him there.
What do you think Roki Sasaki has to do to return to his best?
