Sasaki made ten appearances in the regular season and was on the injured list for most of the year. He took on a role as a reliever after returning late in the season, and served as one of the Dodgers’ main weapons out of the bullpen during the postseason.
“Yes, it was nice to see myself succeed at this level,” Sasaki said through translator Will Ireton. “It’s a very different mentality going into this spring training if I don’t succeed like I did last season.
“…Looking back on my last year, I felt like I stumbled over my own responsibility. It wasn’t about the level of Major League Baseball or the hitters, it was just more about the things I could have controlled that I didn’t have. So as I enter the year, my goal is to be able to pitch all season and I think that will show me what I need to work on at the big league level.”
Sasaki is expected to push for a return to the starting rotation in 2026.
How did Roki Sasaki perform as a reliever compared to a starter?
Sasaki made his first eight appearances of the season as a starter and posted an ERA of 4.72 through 34.1 innings pitched. He went on the injured list in May with a right shoulder impingement and spent several months working on his delivery in the minor leagues.
The Dodgers activated the rookie in September and moved him to a role in the bullpen. He made two appearances in relief before the end of the regular season, pitching a scoreless inning in both.
He slowly took on a larger role as the postseason progressed, first appearing in a relatively safe game against the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round before making more high-leverage appearances in the NLDS.
Sasaki allowed just one run in 10.2 postseason innings and recorded his first three MLB saves.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted that Sasaki looked much better in spring training than last season.
“The fastball came out really well and threw some sliders,” Roberts said. “I thought the assignment was very good.”
Sasaki will hope to continue to impress as he looks to cement himself as a starter in a team hopeful of a three-peat next season.
What do you think of Roki Sasaki’s rookie year?
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