Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki left midway through the game on Aug. 26 against the Atlanta Braves with what appears to be a blister injury.
Sasaki went 3 1/3 innings against the Braves, allowing four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three. After giving up a hit, Sasaki met with Mark Prior, Dave Roberts, his interpreter, and the trainer on the mound before exiting the game.
The blister injury couldn’t come at a worse time for Sasaki, given how he has performed since the All-Star break. Sasaki has a 2-0 record with an ERA of 2.63 and 39 strikeouts in seven appearances in his last seven games, per StatMuse.
His final line: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER (Henriquez inherited 2 runners on base that scored), 2 BB, 3 K
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“Roki Sasaki exited the game in the 4th inning with a blister on his middle finger,” Watson wrote on X on Aug. 26.
Blister Comes at Unfortunate Time for Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki
After his last outing against the Colorado Rockies, manager Dave Roberts spoke about what he’s seen from Sasaki that has led to his success post-All-Star break.
“He’s been great for us,” Roberts said on Aug. 19 (h/t MLB.com). “Roki is not a finished product, but he’s gotten considerably better from last year. Since the break, you look at the numbers, he’s been outstanding.
“[On Aug. 19], I thought the fastball was good, the split was good and he didn’t run from altitude. It was a little bit of a grind – he got the pitch count up [99, 73 strikes]. But getting through that fifth inning kind of put us in a much better spot with the ‘pen.”
Moreover, Sasaki shared what’s been working for him over his last few starts that have allowed him to settle into his role in the Dodgers’ starting rotation.
“I’ve been able to focus on the pitches they are calling for, so I’m not only focusing on mechanical things, I’m focusing on the game plan,” Sasaki added through interpreter Kensuke Okubo following his last outing.
With Shohei Ohtani working his way back to the mound and the Dodgers getting Tyler Glasnow back, losing Sasaki would be a short-term setback, as the player was in stride.
Los Angeles Gets Blunt Tarik Skubal Outlook
Speaking of Dodgers starting pitchers, Tarik Skubal is expected to take the mound on this road trip against the Detroit Tigers in his return to Comerica Park to face his former team.
WFAN’s Evan Roberts recently stated that he believes the reigning back-to-back World Series champions are using Skubal as much as they can because Los Angeles knows it will let the veteran pitcher walk as a free agent.
“It’s August and the Dodgers have already had Tarik Skubal throw the most pitches he’s ever thrown in a game in his career and then the third most,” Roberts said in an Aug. 24 video from WFAN. “Does anyone find that peculiar? Does anyone find that to be exactly what I’m telling you?
“The Los Angeles Dodgers are not serious about keeping this guy, and this has nothing to do with the ownership situation and Mark Walter and what he’s involved with.”
Dodgers Get Brutal Roki Sasaki Development During Braves Game