LOS ANGELES – Roki Sasaki, the highly touted right-hander making the transition to Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is facing the challenge of finding his velocity and control on the mound. In his fourth big-league start, Sasaki showed improvement, completing five innings with just one run allowed in a 16-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Despite the Dodgers facing their worst shutout home loss in history, Sasaki’s progress was a silver lining in an otherwise disappointing game.
Sasaki has been working on tweaking his delivery to improve his command and consistency. While his fastball velocity averaged 96.4 mph in his latest start, Sasaki is still searching for the overpowering 100 mph pitches he was known for in Japan. Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior emphasized the importance of Sasaki focusing on getting outs and not solely relying on his velocity to win games.
Facing the Cubs for the first time, Sasaki struggled to keep hitters off balance and gave up a few hard-hit balls, including an extra-base hit. However, he showed promise with his splitter, a pitch that has the potential to be a game-changer if he can consistently throw it for strikes. Despite the rough outing, Sasaki’s willingness to adapt and make adjustments bodes well for his continued development in the major leagues.
With time and experience, Sasaki has the opportunity to refine his pitching arsenal and become a formidable force on the mound for the Dodgers. As he navigates the challenges of facing major-league hitters, Sasaki’s determination and work ethic will be key factors in his success.
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