Roki Sasaki’s highly anticipated MLB debut arrived on Wednesday at the Tokyo Dome, as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The rookie pitcher delivered three innings, allowing one earned run on one hit while striking out three and walking five.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attributed some of Sasaki’s early struggles to nerves.
Roki Sasaki Struggled Through Three Innings for Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo Series
“I think there were nerves, and understandably so,” Roberts said, via Tim Keown of ESPN. “The velocity was good, but I thought the emotions, the adrenaline, was hard to rein in. … The highs are going to be high, and when he’s not commanding it, it gets a little bit tricky. I do want to say he wanted to stay in the game. That’s a decision I made in the best interest of him, but he wanted to keep going.”
Sasaki’s heightened emotions were evident in his velocity, which peaked at 101 mph. The third inning presented challenges for the young pitcher.
After Jon Berti’s infield single, Sasaki walked Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, loading the bases with one out. He then walked Kyle Tucker, allowing a run to score. However, he rebounded by striking out Michael Busch and Matt Shaw to end the inning. Roberts then made the decision to remove Sasaki at the start of the fourth, bringing in Luis Garcia.
The Dodgers concluded their Japan trip with a perfect 2-0 record against the Cubs. Now, as they return to the United States, Sasaki will focus on building upon his debut and realizing his immense potential. With the Dodgers’ deep roster, he’ll have the benefit of developing without the pressure of immediate, overwhelming success.