Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani praised rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki after his strong performance this postseason.
Sasaki has become an increasingly important part of the Dodgers’ bullpen throughout the postseason. He came out for the first time in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series to end a game, then came in for his first two MLB saves on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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He turned in his most impressive performance yet in Game 4 against the Phillies, pitching three innings and retiring all nine batters he faced.
“Yes, I think he’s been put in a very difficult situation as he’s coming back from rehab for the first time and transitioning to a reliever role, so I think in a way I’m very impressed with how reliable he’s been,” Ohtani said.
“I am sure the organization and coaching staff placed him in these high-leverage situations with great confidence.”
The right-hander has made tremendous strides since the beginning of the season, when he struggled as a starter. He made eight starts before landing on the injured list in May with a right shoulder impingement, posting a 4.72 ERA through 34.1 innings. He found his groove during his rehab assignment, where he made a minor adjustment to his delivery and moved into a bullpen role in September to support the Dodgers’ struggling relievers.
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Sasaki played outside the pen twice in the regular season and did not allow a run in two innings.
Now, as the Dodgers’ go-to reliever in high-leverage situations, Sasaki will play a big role for the remainder of the postseason, and he clearly has the confidence of his coaches and teammates. He allowed his first run of the postseason against the Brewers in Game 1 of the NLCS, although the Dodgers still pulled through and won the opening game.
Sasaki gave the Dodgers another strong performance in their Game 3 win over the Brewers, retiring the side in the ninth to set LA up for the sweep Friday.
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn images
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