The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their dominant start to the 2025 season, securing their fifth consecutive victory with a 7-3 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night. However, the performance of their highly anticipated starting pitcher, Roki Sasaki, was a cause for concern, as he struggled for the second straight outing.
Making his Dodger Stadium debut, Sasaki’s night was cut short. He threw 60 pitches in just 1.2 innings before manager Dave Roberts pulled him from the game. Sasaki’s control was erratic, yielding three hits and four walks, though he managed to limit the damage to two runs. After the game, Sasaki provided a candid assessment of his performance.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki Struggles in 2nd Straight Outing
“Overall, I didn’t feel that I had a good feel for my pitches,” Sasaki said. “My slider felt pretty good. But my fastball-split – velo-wise, command-wise – wasn’t there. … I don’t expect myself to be able to fix everything in a short period of time. That being said, I am going to be pitching every week so I do expect as a major-league pitcher to be able to put up quality outings.’’
This marked Sasaki’s second consecutive start with control issues. In his MLB debut against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, he lasted only three innings. While he again limited the damage to just one run, his early performances have fallen short of the immense expectations surrounding him.
This adjustment period is not entirely unexpected, as the transition from Japanese baseball to MLB can be challenging. However, Sasaki’s impressive 2.10 career ERA in Japan naturally led to heightened expectations. For now, he is navigating the early stages of his MLB career. Fortunately for the Dodgers, their deep roster and abundant talent provide a cushion as Sasaki works through these initial growing pains.