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LAD • Pitcher • #11
3 months ago
Sasaki gave up a single to William Contreras before getting a line-out to right, a fielder’s choice to second base on a grounder, and a routine flyout to right to end the game and put the Dodgers in the World Series. The 23-year-old should be the stopper for Los Angeles in the Fall Classic as well, be it against Toronto or Seattle beginning next Friday.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
3 months ago
Sasaki got the call from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to protect a two-run lead in the top of the ninth inning after high-leverage arms Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia pitched earlier in the contest. The 23-year-old rookie’s velocity appeared to be back to its usual levels as he was sitting in the upper 90’s with his fastball and needed just 13 pitches to slam the door. He got Andrew Vaughn to ground out and Sal Frelick to pop up before striking out Caleb Durbin to end it. It was a much-needed rebound effort for Sasaki on the heels of a rocky performance his last time out earlier in the series.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki dealt with some diminished velocity during Monday’s series-opening win in Milwaukee, which was ultimately finished off by veteran Blake Treinen, who was summoned to record the final out of the ninth inning of a one-run ballgame. All eyes will be on the 23-year-old phenom’s velocity when he gets back in a high-leverage spot for Los Angeles. He was an unexpected revelation for the Dodgers in his first couple playoff outings prior to Monday’s unexpected speed bump. It’ll likely be Treinen or lefty Alex Vesia handling a potential save situation in Game 2.
Source: Matthew Moreno
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki got the call to protect a two-run lead in the final frame and immediately got into trouble by issuing a one-out walk to Isaac Collins before surrendering a ground-rule double to Jake Bauers. A sacrifice fly from ensuing batter Jackson Chourio cut the lead in half before a walk to Christian Yelich put the potential winning run on-base. It was the first rough patch for the 23-year-old prodigy since returning to the big leagues back in late September as a full-time reliever. He dealt with some diminished velocity in this one and struggled to locate his fastball and signature splitter. It’ll be interesting to see if he can bounce-back as the best-of-seven series progresses.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki delivered an other-worldly performance in the late stages of a tie ballgame at Dodger Stadium as he consistently pounded the strike zone, needing just 36 pitches (26 strikes) to record nine outs. The 23-year-old rookie phenom has put together an outstanding postseason, recording a pair of saves while reeling off 4 1/3 scoreless frames. He’ll be Los Angeles’ primary option in the closer role for the rest of the playoffs.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Los Angeles Times’ Jack Harris reported that Roberts didn’t initially use Sasaki in Game 2 because they are still being mindful of his workload, given the injuries he dealt with this season. However, Sasaki has looked electric out of the bullpen with a triple-digit fastball and a deep pitch mix. It remains to be seen if this is how the Dodgers plan to use him in 2026 and beyond, but the Athletics used Mason Miller as a reliever initially because of arm injuries and then never moved him out of the bullpen, so anything is possible.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki was summoned to attempt to slam the door on the Phillies in the ninth with Los Angeles clinging to a one-run lead after Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia were unable to get the job done. The hard-throwing 23-year-old phenom coaxed a game-ending ground out from Trea Turner to allow the Dodgers to narrowly escape and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. He’s been a revelation since returning to the big leagues and appears to be firmly entrenched as the Dodgers’ primary closer for the rest of the postseason.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki allowed a one-out double to Max Kepler that brought the tying run to the dish, but bounced back to retire Nick Castellanos on a ground ball and Bryston Stott on a foul out to third to end the ballgame. He has become a real weapon for the Dodgers in the ninth inning, making an already deep and talented Dodgers’ bullpen look even more terrifying.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki got the ball in a four-run game and made quick work of the Reds, averaging 100.6 mph with his fastball and throwing nine of his 11 pitches for strikes. It definitely bodes well for him getting the ball in close games going forward; he might well finish October as the team’s closer.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki got the ball in a four-run game and made quick work of the Reds, averaging 100.6 mph with his fastball and throwing nine of his 11 pitches for strikes. It definitely bodes well for him getting the ball in close games going forward; he might well finish October as the team’s closer.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki looked sharp in a pair of scoreless relief appearances during the final week of the regular season and will have a role during Los Angeles’ postseason run. The 23-year-old phenom figures to pitch in low-leverage spots during the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be a total shock if he got some chances in critical spots, especially if he continues to excel in shorter bursts out of the bullpen.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki made his first appearance since early May after dealing with a shoulder ailment, and the hype he generated out of the bullpen was legit. He generated three swings and misses, and he landed 8-of-13 pitches for strikes. There’s been talk of Sasaki potentially closing games for the Dodgers, and nothing that he showed Wednesday suggests that’s a bad idea. We’ll have to see how he’s deployed for the remainder of 2025.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki is the ultimate Wild Card for the Dodgers’ impending postseason run as there is a path for him to emerge as a legitimate high-leverage weapon, if he finds immediate success in shorter bursts out of the bullpen. The 23-year-old phenom hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since early May due to a shoulder ailment. He’s going to be one of the most fascinating pitchers to watch over the final few games of the regular season to see how he transitions to a multi-inning relief role.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
It’s an all hands on deck situation for the Dodgers heading into the postseason as Sasaki will pitch in relief out of the bullpen during the final handful of regular-season contests and figures to be in contention for a postseason roster spot. The 23-year-old phenom has showcased increased velocity and looked sharp in his last couple rehab outings at the Triple-A level. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since early May due to a shoulder injury. The decision to utilize him in relief could help build up his confidence heading into next season.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki was 97-98 mph on his four-seam fastball and was able to get a strikeout on his splitter. He didn’t walk a batter and threw five of his eight pitches for strikes in what was a solid outing.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
4 months ago
Sasaki, on the IL since May with a shoulder impingement, topped out at 100.1 mph and got five whiffs on his 17 pitches. He’s slated to make one more appearance for Oklahoma on Sunday, after which the Dodgers could activate him to pitch out of the pen.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
The 23-year-old hurler was getting close to rejoining the Dodgers in some capacity, but he’ll make at least one additional rehab start at the Triple-A level before determining the next step for him. Sasaki has been sidelined since mid-May with a right shoulder impingement, but the Dodgers are still hopeful that he can play a role for them in the postseason.
Source: Bill Plunkett
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has left the door open when speaking to reporters about Sasaki potentially being part of the club’s postseason pitching plans. The latest development comes on the heels of an extremely encouraging rehab outing where the 23-year-old phenom showcased a significant velocity uptick, averaging over 98 mph on his fastball. It’s possible he gets back into some big-league contests over the final two weeks, but he won’t offer enough volume to make an impact for fantasy purposes. It would be interesting to see if his stuff plays up in shorter bursts out of the bullpen in the playoffs.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Sasaki experienced a significant velocity uptick in this one, touching triple digits six separate times and averaging 98.5 mph on his fastball. He retired 12 of 15 batters to open the contest before things went sideways in the middle innings. It’s an extremely encouraging sign that the 23-year-old phenom’s stuff was up noticeably from his previous rehab outings and it should inspire some confidence that he’ll be an impact contributor at some point next season. There simply isn’t a spot for him with the Dodgers right now, which means he’ll likely finish the year out at the Triple-A level.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Roberts added that Sasaki’s stuff is still not up to where the club hoped it would be. There should be a decision regarding his next steps at some point soon. The 23-year-old’s fastball velocity was down considerably at just 94.4 mph in his fourth rehab outing and he was charged with four runs over five frames. The strikeouts simply haven’t been there either. At this point, his odds of making any sort of fantasy impact this season are very slim.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Sasaki allowed three hits, two walks and struck out two. The right-hander reached five innings for the first time in his rehab journey, but didn’t exactly dominate while still showing the command issues that plagued him before the injury, as well. Sasaki’s long-term upside is obvious, but it’s hard to imagine he’s going to be a big part of the Dodgers’ rotation in 2025. If/when he rejoins Los Angeles, his usage in leagues will be matchup-dependent.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters earlier this week that Sasaki will need at least one additional rehab outing before he’s an option for Los Angeles again. The 23-year-old righty maxed out at 98.8 mph on his fastball, threw 75 pitches (47 strikes) and finished with four strikeouts. He still isn’t generating a ton of swinging strikes, which is the biggest concern surrounding his long-term fantasy outlook.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
5 months ago
Sasaki walked three and struck out two, but the good news was that his velocity was back; he averaged 96.0 mph with his 30 fastballs, compared to 93.6 mph in his first rehab start last week. Sasaki, on the IL since May 13 with a shoulder impingement, will surely keep toiling in the minors for now. It’s unclear what kind of role he’ll have for the Dodgers in September.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
All six hits were singles and only two were hit hard, so Sasaki was pretty unlucky there. Still, it was discouraging that he averaged just 93.6 mph with his 27 fastballs. He’s averaged 96.0 mph in the majors this season. Tonight, his hardest pitch came in at 95.7 mph, and he recorded just two whiffs on 22 swings and 41 pitches. Sasaki, on the IL with a shoulder impingement, figures to keep pitching in the minors for now.
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
The goal for Sasaki will be for the right-hander to work three innings. That’s the same amount of innings he threw in his simulated game Friday. Sasaki will likely need to make multiple rehab starts, but could be back as an option for the Dodgers at some point in September.
Source: Bill Plunkett
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
Alex Call was among the hitters that Sasaki worked against during Friday’s session. The 23-year-old right-hander maintains that he has “every intention” to return to the big leagues before the end of the season, though it still seems like it could be a bit of a longshot. Even if he does return, there may not be a spot readily available for him in the Dodgers’ rotation if they’re at full strength.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
Sasaki added while speaking to reporters for the first time in nearly three months that he’s pain free and believes he’s in a better place to reach his peak fastball velocity again, but is still working on refining his mechanics at the moment. The 23-year-old remains without a definitive return timeline, but recently progressed to facing hitters again. There’s a chance he’s back in Los Angeles by the end of the year.
Source: Fabian Ardaya
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
Sasaki remains without a definitive timetable to make it back to Los Angeles and the clock is ticking with just over two months left in the season. The 23-year-old prodigy has been on the shelf since mid-May recovering from a shoulder impingement. It’ll be interesting if he used the additional time off to work on his mechanics and refine his pitch mix.
Source: Fabian Ardaya
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts added that Sasaki will progress to to face hitters next week at the team’s spring training complex in Arizona. He also added that the time off has allowed Sasaki to improve his mechanics. The 23-year-old phenom is still a ways off from potentially making it back to Los Angeles before the regular season wraps up. He’s been out since mid-May recovering from a shoulder impingement.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Pitcher • #11
6 months ago
There’s a chance Sasaki doesn’t make it back to Los Angeles this season considering there’s just over two months left and he’s still ramping up his throwing progression. The 23-year-old pitching prodigy hit the shelf back in mid-May with a shoulder injury and has yet to progress to facing hitters again. His long-term development is the far greater concern for the Dodgers at this juncture, which is why it seems unlikely he’ll pitch again in the big leagues until next year.
Source: Fabian Ardaya