Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki Reveals He Made Adjustment Ahead of Strong Start vs Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki found his stuff against the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday. Though he struggled in his previous two starts, the Japanese fireballer looked more like himself at Citizens Bank Park.
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Sasaki’s final stat line included four strikeouts, three hits, two walks, and one earned run. The right-hander retired 12 of 17 batters he faced after giving up back to back singles leading to a run in the first inning.
“I was searching for something that I could feel confident about,” Sasaki said through his interpreter. “So what I learned this time is that it’s really important to have confidence based on some adjustment, some skill.”
Sasaki revealed he gained confidence during a bullpen session two days prior to Saturday’s outing. The adjustment allowed him to better utilize his lower half, which in turn sparked a confidence boost.
“But you really have to pitch in games to find out if what you feel in bullpens and during practice actually comes to fruition,” he said.
To Sasaki, the difference between Saturday and his previous two Major League starts was a mechanical fix.
“It was more mechanical based rather than mindset,” Sasaki said. “I felt like last time around, I felt like I did want to throw strikes but I couldn’t. And I really worked on the mechanical side of the game, and felt like I was able to do that today.”
Manager Dave Roberts spoke about Sasaki’s successful start against the Phillies, citing how important it was for the rookie’s morale.
“He needed it,” Roberts said. “He probably won’t let on how much he needed it, but to get a major-league start and given how the first couple went, to have some success and leave the game with a lead, I think that was certainly a big positive. Just a building block for him for his next outing.”
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Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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