Dodgers Prioritizing Long-Term Growth With Roki...

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki had another middling start against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, but the Dodgers’ plans for the starter lie far beyond just his results in 2026. The Dodgers have taken a clear stance on Sasaki, and are insistent on keeping him in the rotation, no matter how much he struggles. “We definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said to The Athletic. “We are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game.” Sasaki is yet to reach the heights the Dodgers expect him to ascend to in the majors, though, posting subpar numbers during his 15 starts in MLB. He posted a 4.72 ERA through eight starts in 2025, and has returned to that form in 2026 with a 5.88 ERA through his first seven appearances this year. The Dodgers, though, see this as part of the process Sasaki needs to undergo in order to become the pitcher they want him to be down the line. “I 100 percent appreciate and get that right now, fans don’t care at all about three years from now or five years from now,” Friedman said. “But when we get there, they definitely will. So it’s incumbent upon us to do everything we can to maximize the now, while also doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position in the future, as well.” While most of Sasaki’s outings result in a middle-inning collapse, the first two innings of all of his outings have gone rather smoothly. He has allowed just two runs through the first two innings across his seven starts, none of which have come in the first. The damage tends to come later for Sasaki, who has just three pitches in his arsenal: a fastball, forkball and newly developed slider. With such a limited pitch selection, batters during the second or third time through the lineup are more privy to what they may see from the young right-hander, and capitalize on any mistake they see during their at-bat. Sasaki’s one-to-two inning dominance explains his success as a reliever during the 2025 postseason, when he became a fan favorite and a trusted arm out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He made nine appearances in the postseason for the Dodgers, allowing a single run through 10.2 innings and converting all three of his save opportunities. If Sasaki can find a way to translate his success in relief to his starting role—and perhaps expand his arsenal while he’s at it—he has the stuff to pitch with the best in MLB. Do you think Roki Sasaki can still develop to become elite? How should he go about doing that?

create your storyflo · everywhere you listen.

Dodgers Prioritizing Long-Term Growth With Roki Sasaki