Roki Sasaki’s Shoulder Woes: A Bump in the Road for the Dodgers’ Phenom
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a bit of a conundrum with their right-handed pitcher, Roki Sasaki. The young phenom, who was a sensation in the international market last offseason, has found himself on the injured list due to a shoulder injury. This injury, described as an impingement, is a lesser version of what he experienced in Japan last season. However, Sasaki himself is still uncertain if this is the main reason behind his mysterious drop in velocity.
In a conversation through an interpreter on Wednesday, Sasaki expressed his uncertainty, saying, “It’s hard to tell if it’s the main reason why my velo and command was affected.” This statement leaves room for speculation and concern among fans and analysts alike.
Sasaki elaborated on his injury, noting that it wasn’t necessarily painful but rather that his shoulder wasn’t moving in the ideal way. The discomfort began two starts ago, around the beginning of May. Since then, Sasaki has allowed a combined eight runs on 11 hits and four walks in nine innings. This performance led the Dodgers to place him on the injured list, where he joined fellow pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, both dealing with their own shoulder issues.
For a pitcher who was expected to make waves in the MLB, Sasaki’s 4.72 ERA in his first eight starts is less than ideal. In 34⅓ innings, he has accumulated almost as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24). These struggles have validated some concerns within the Dodgers organization and the industry at large that Sasaki, despite his immense talent, is still a work in progress.
One of the most alarming aspects of Sasaki’s performance has been the decline in his four-seam fastball. This pitch, crucial for setting up his devastating splitter, has not been reaching the triple digits as it did in Japan. Since his season-opening start in Tokyo around mid-March, Sasaki’s fastball has averaged 95.7 mph. In three of his starts, including his two most recent, it has dropped into the 94 mph range. Opposing hitters have posted an .873 OPS against this pitch, a concerning statistic for the Dodgers.
Fastball command was a primary concern for evaluators who watched Sasaki in 2024. Despite this, he managed to post a 2.35 ERA and strike out 129 batters in 111 innings. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes that Sasaki’s current velocity drop is due to mechanical adjustments he is still working through, compounded by his shoulder issues.
When asked about the cause of his discomfort over the past two years, Sasaki said, “There’s nothing, per se, that I can say is for certain. But it is a very good time for me to make sure that I can get to the bottom of it.”
Currently, Sasaki is not throwing, and Roberts mentioned that he is not expected to receive a pain-relieving injection. The Dodgers are planning a bullpen game on Thursday, which was supposed to be Sasaki’s next scheduled start. However, they will welcome Clayton Kershaw back to their rotation on Saturday, providing them with a fifth starter. Snell and Glasnow have been cleared by doctors to restart their throwing programs, but they must clear several steps before a return path can be carved out.
- Sasaki’s fastball has averaged 95.7 mph this season.
- He has a 4.72 ERA in his first eight starts.
- Opposing hitters have posted an .873 OPS against his fastball.
The same can be said for Sasaki, who will essentially start from scratch. This is an opportunity for him to work on the mechanical adjustments needed for success in the major leagues. Sasaki himself sees this as a positive, stating, “I do think that this is a good time to be able to do that. I wanna make sure that I’m fully healthy and be able to address anything that I had so that it leads to better performance.”
As the Dodgers navigate this challenging period, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how Sasaki’s journey unfolds. Will he overcome these hurdles and fulfill his potential as a major league star? Only time will tell.
Originally Written by: Alden Gonzalez
