The Los Angeles Dodgers have reclaimed the top spot in the National League West division for the time being, thanks in large part to the fact that the team has won eight of its past 10 games. That run continued on Saturday, as the Dodgers managed to pick up an 11-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Early on in this game, things didn’t look good for Los Angeles, as starting pitcher Roki Sasaki coughed up three runs in the first inning. He eventually settled in and managed to finish off his outing with four shutout innings, and even though things got messy early on, manager Dave Roberts was very encouraged with what he saw from the young Japanese phenom.
Dave Roberts Has High Praise for Roki Sasaki After Latest Start
One of the most highly-touted international free agents of all time, Sasaki signed with the Dodgers and made his debut in the majors last season. After struggling early on, though, Sasaki spent the majority of the year in the minors before abruptly turning himself into Los Angeles’ makeshift closer during its run to the World Series.
Sasaki shifted back to the starting rotation this season, but to this point, his results have been mixed. While he’s flashed his potential at times, he has also dealt with bouts of inconsistency. Put it all together, and Sasaki has a 3-3 record to go along with a 4.93 ERA and 43 strikeouts through his first nine starts of the season.
The Brewers got to Sasaki early on Saturday, but he eventually finished the day giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out four in five innings of action. In a perfect world, Sasaki wouldn’t have gotten tagged for three runs right away, but Roberts made it clear that he was impressed with how he responded against one of the team’s top competitors in the National League.
“Even if you get hit in the mouth early, you gotta find a way to keep going,” Roberts said after the game. “It’s a sign of a young player starting to really grow up and understand his responsibility to the team.”
Dodgers Looking to Pick Up Series Victory Over Brewers
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 24: Manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
It’s important to remember that, despite all the success he achieved in Japan, Sasaki is still just 24 years old, meaning he has time to find his way in the majors. And while injuries are continuing to pop up across the board, the Dodgers have enough pitching depth that they can protect Sasaki if things start to go south for him.
For the time being, Los Angeles is allowing Sasaki to learn and grow on the fly (largely because they need someone to round out the starting rotation). His next start will come later this week, but for now, the Dodgers are focused on picking up a series victory over the Brewers in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Sounds Off on Roki Sasaki’s Improvements After Win vs. Brewers