The Los Angeles Dodgers have been waiting for pitching depth to return from the injured list at seemingly any given point this season, but as October looms around the corner, one of the most exciting offseason additions in LA could be nearing a return to the majors.
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Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old right-hander from Japan who had a career 2.10 ERA across four seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, started his MLB career with unmet expectations. After a 4.72 ERA through his first eight starts this season, Sasaki’s lack of command and noticeable drop in his fastball velocity were leaving Dodgers fans collectively scratching their heads.
Sasaki has been on the injured list with a shoulder impingement since mid-May, but ahead of a sharp showing in his fifth rehab start in Triple-A, manager Dave Roberts spoke on if Sasaki will pitch on an MLB mound again, and how that might even be out of the bullpen temporarily,
“Anything’s possible,” Roberts said. “Again, once he gets out of this one, I think we’ll have more clarity. … I know Roki is anxious to get back here. I know he wants to contribute.”
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Perhaps the best way to contribute at the moment is to keep showing improvement in his command and upping his velocity, like he did on Tuesday.
During Sasaki’s most recent outing, he struck out eight in 4.2 innings of work, walked four batters, and allowed three runs. He generated 16 whiffs — a season high across both his MLB and MiLB outings — and eclipsed 100 mph six times, averaging 98.6 mph on his fastball. This is up 4 mph from his last appearance.
“That’s great. That’s a good thing,” Roberts said of the improved velocity. “That’s a good thing for the Dodgers and for Roki. We’ll have some conversations after this one, but that’s good to hear.”
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Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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One Response
Move him to the bullpen if he comes back.