The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 on Monday night in their series opener, winning their fifth straight game.
Prior to that game, however, much of the attention centered on Shohei Ohtani returning to the lineup after missing the previous four games. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also provided a major update on right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki.
Dodgers Announce Sasaki Update
Sasaki landed on the IL with a finger blister Aug. 27. It may not sound like a major issue to the average fan, but a blister on a pitcher’s throwing hand can become a serious problem until it fully heals. It now appears the young Dodgers star is getting close to a return.
He threw his second bullpen session Monday, and Roberts revealed that he’ll throw one more before potentially facing live hitters. If everything goes well, Sasaki could return without needing a rehab assignment.
“We haven’t set a date, but everything he’s done up to this point — he’s close to coming back,” Roberts said.
Dave Roberts said Roki Sasaki is close to returning.
Sasaki will throw another bullpen and then possibly face hitters in a live BP first.
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) September 7, 2026
Sasaki’s 2026 Campaign
In his second MLB season, Sasaki has battled some ups and downs. However, he started to find his rhythm on the mound after the All-Star break before landing on the IL.
On the year, Sasaki has gone 5-5 with a 4.60 ERA across 23 starts. He’s struck out 117 batters and posted a 1.33 WHIP over 119.1 innings.
Dodgers’ Current Starting Rotation
With Ohtani likely not returning to pitching anytime soon — another update Roberts gave before the game — Sasaki will become even more important down the stretch for the Dodgers’ rotation.
While he could still serve as a featured starter in the playoffs, he may also need to step into some high-leverage situations.
Without Ohtani, the team still boasts Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as its top four starters, which is as strong as any rotation in the league.
Other notable pieces include Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski, while Eric Lauer and Emmet Sheehan could also play key roles down the stretch and into the postseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers Announce Roki Sasaki Update During Reds Series