SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The Los Angeles Dodgers kept raving about Roki Sasaki all spring, believing he was becoming the star pitcher they envisioned all along when they won the sweepstakes for his services a year ago.
Sasaki was hit hard, hit often and struggled with his control. He gave up three hits, including two doubles, and three runs to the first five Diamondbacks batters he faced. He threw only 17 of his 36 pitches for strikes, walking two batters with three strikeouts. He was scheduled to pitch two innings, but lasted just four outs.
“I thought he was overthrowing,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after their 10-7 victory, keeping them undefeated (5-0) this spring. “I haven’t seen that all spring.’’
Roberts, who was gushing over Sasaki’s bullpen sessions in his media session Wednesday morning, wasn’t panicking over his performance, saying he could have simply been overwhelmed by an adrenaline rush in his first outing. But Roberts also isn’t simply going to hand him a starting job until he proves he deserves it, either. Sasaki pitched only 36.2 innings for the Dodgers last season, spending four months in the minor leagues while overcoming a shoulder impingement injury.
“I think the first thing is,’’ Roberts said, “is that he’s just got to mix [pitches] better. He’s got to command the fastball. … Honestly, I thought today was the first day he came out of his mechanics. He just didn’t have the feel or control of that fastball.’’
Scouts in attendance also criticized Sasaki’s performance, saying he showed a lack of confidence with his body language, with one scouting saying, “He looked scared to death.’’
Sasaki’s fastball reached 98.6 mph, but there was no movement, with Sasaki giving up two of the hits with an exit velocity of 105 mph.
“In the bullpen, I felt pretty good about the forkball,’’ Sasaki said, “but once I got on the mound, it didn’t go well. And the four-seam, I felt pretty good in the bullpen, but once I got on the mound, it felt a little off.’’
Roberts has made it perfectly clear to Sasaki that he needs to command at least three pitches in his arsenal if he’s going to be a regular in the Dodgers’ ultra-talented starting rotation. Sasaki is trying to incorporate a slider to go along with the fastball and splitter, throwing his new pitch seven times in Wednesday’s game.
“I’m really impressed by Roki in the sense that he’s had a lot of success with the two pitches,’’ Roberts said, “but he has to be open and understand that if he wants to be a great as a starting pitcher in the big leagues, that third pitch is important …
“We’re expecting him to be good, he’s exepcting to be good, and to continue to get better.’’
Opening day is one month away, and Sasaki must still prove that he can be a bona fide starter after making only eight starts (1-1, 4.72 ERA) and finishing the season in the bullpen. He was a critical piece to the Dodgers’ bullpen in October, yielding just one earned run in 10.2 innings, while saving three postseason games.
Sasaki has made it clear that he wants to be a starter. The Dodgers want him to start. But he needs to prove he can do it.
Sasaki, who is staying in Dodgers camp and not pitching for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, conceded there was at least was one positive aspect of the day.
“I was able to finish my outing,’’ he said, “without getting hurt.’’
Follow Bob Nightengale on Bluesky and X @Bnightengale.