Bold takeaway: Roki Sasaki’s Spring Training focus is about growth, not flawless results, because his biggest impact may come from the mechanics and repertoire he adds rather than a pristine Cactus League ledger. And this is where the conversation gets interesting: the process behind his development could shape his 2026 role more than a string of clean innings in March.
When SASaki agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, expectations for the 2025 starting rotation felt almost inevitable: a trio of teenage-phenom-level arms—Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Sasaki—sharing the spotlight and potentially headlining the staff as aces. The idea was simple in theory: three Japanese-born talents with ceiling-to-ceague dominance anchoring a rotation that would terrify hitters week after week.
Yet Sasaki’s rookie season told a different story. Even after turning pro in the Dodgers’ system, his velocity hovered below the triple-digit mark, and he logged only eight starts before landing on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. By the time he went on IL, his ERA stood at 4.72 and his walk rate reached 14.3% of batters faced—roughly double the MLB average. Those numbers underscored injuries and a gap between potential and production.
As months passed and the rehab stretched on, a return in 2025 grew uncertain. The extended rehab assignment offered little in the way of overwhelming results, but shifting Sasaki into a bullpen role sparked a notable turnaround. He was activated in the season’s final week and, in the postseason, delivered meaningful contributions as a reliever. The change, however, was temporary. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made clear in the off-season that Sasaki would be bumped back into the rotation for 2026, signaling a long-term bet on his development.
Even so, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been explicit about what Sasaki still needs: a third pitch. Building that kind of arsenal is essential for a starter who already flashes a 100 mph fastball and a devastating forkball/splitter when it’s commanded properly.
The path forward for Sasaki centers on expanding his pitch mix rather than chasing immediate results. Last season, Baseball Savant shows his usage leaned heavily on the fastball (about 50%) and the forkball/splitter (roughly one-third), with the slider making up only about 16%. It’s widely believed that mixing too many slider variations contributed to the shoulder issues, and current reporting indicates he’s returning to a faster slider variant he used in Japan. Reports (via Dylan Hernández) note Sasaki is also experimenting with a cutter in spring, with a potential decision between the cutter and a slider as his new third offering. Additionally, the team is eyeing a two-seamer designed to ride in on right-handed hitters.
This spring, the focus is on learning and feel—acquiring a dependable third pitch, refining command, and rebuilding durability—over posting spotless line scores in exhibition games. The Dodgers have consistently prioritized development for their pitchers, and Sasaki’s Spring Training work is framed as laying the groundwork for a sustainable rotation role in 2026.
Bottom line: Sasaki’s forward path hinges on quality growth—adding a credible third pitch and improving durability—more than immediate spring victories. A clean spring line is nice, but the longer arc of his career may hinge on the depth of his new pitch mix and his ability to command it when it matters most.
What do you think: should teams prioritize development and long-term upside in spring, or chase immediate results to signal readiness? Share your view in the comments.
