Ever since he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s been a struggle for Roki Sasaki. The right-hander carries a 5.14 ERA in 17 career appearances, 15 starts.
His second season in the majors has not gone particularly well. Sasaki owns a 5.88 ERA after eight starts, with 31 strikeouts and 16 walks in 33.2 innings.
Things have slowly trended positive for the 24-year-old starter. He’s pitched into the sixth inning in each of his three starts, including a quality start against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 2.
Sasaki seemed to be breaking through in his start against the Giants. The Dodgers were up 2-1, and the right-hander was on track for his best start of the season. However, he ran into trouble and was knocked out without recording an out in the sixth. The Dodgers eventually lost the game 9-3, falling out of first place in the National League West.
After the game, the right-hander said that while his stuff and location were better, he was not where he wanted to be.
Andrew Friedman Backs Roki Sasaki Despite Struggles
Following the start, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman backed his struggling right-hander.
“We definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently told The Athletic‘s Katie Woo. “We are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game.”
Sasaki was one of the most sought-after free agents when the Chiba Lotte Mariners posted him following the 2024 season. With a fastball that hit triple digits and a devastating splitter, teams were eager to add him to their rotation despite some struggles in his final year in Japan. The right-hander chose the Dodgers, landing a $6.5 million signing bonus.
While the four-seamer and forkball combination made him a star in Japan, Sasaki hasn’t found the same success in the major leagues. The Dodgers have expanded the right-hander’s arsenal, adding a sinker and slider to his mix of pitches.
The results haven’t improved much for the right-hander, but Friedman is adamant about getting Sasaki major league reps to continue to develop as a major league starter.
“The feedback he gets from major-league hitters is really important,” said Friedman.
The Dodgers continue to work at improving Sasaki’s command, hoping he’ll eventually develop into a key rotation arm. The club has enjoyed good rotation health so far in 2026, with only Tyler Glasnow missing any starts due to injury.
Roki Sasaki’s Struggles with the Dodgers
After a trying 2025 season, which included an injury and a demotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Sasaki pitched in relief in the club’s postseason run. The right-hander allowed just one run in 10.2 innings, as Los Angeles captured its second straight championship.
Sasaki has seen his velocity jump up to 97.0 MPH, as the Dodgers have employed a six-man rotation.
His slider has taken on the deathball shape, with a movement profile of -1.5″ induced vertical break and 2.3″ glove-side break. Hitters are batting .263 and slugging .474 against the pitch, but the expected metrics are more optimistic. Based on batted ball data, Sasaki is yielding a .146 xBA and a .200 xSLG on his slider.
Friedman isn’t too overwhelmingly concerned with the pressure of the Dodgers trying to complete the first three-peat in 26 seasons. The Dodgers’ lead baseball ops executive is also thinking about the long-term outlook of his club with Sasaki.
“I 100 percent appreciate and get that right now, fans don’t care at all about three years from now or five years from now,” Friedman said. “But when we get there, they definitely will. So it’s incumbent upon us to do everything we can to maximize the now, while also doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position in the future, as well.”
That successful future Friedman alludes to may require the Dodgers and their fan base to endure Sasaki’s growing pains in the major leagues.
Dodgers Send Clear Message on Roki Sasaki Amid Struggles