Dodgers' Roki Sasaki Could Be Back Later This Month After Recent Update
Dodgers' Roki Sasaki Could Be Back Later This Month After Recent Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Dodgers need pitching help.
It is not that they are devoid of talent; in fact, they have a surplus of excellent starters and relievers, perhaps more so than any other team in baseball. But, a ridiculous 15, yes 15, pitchers are on the injured list.
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One of the most notable is Roki Sasaki, who has been out since mid-May with right shoulder impingement. On the bright side, Sasaki is making progress. The Dodgers are hopeful Sasaki can return sometime later this month, according to Dylan Hernández of the Los Angeles Times.
Whenever Sasaki does pitch again for Los Angeles, he will look to regain his confidence and form that helped land him a $6.5 million deal this past offseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) looks on in the dugout during the third inning of the game against the Athletics at Dodger StadiumJayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The rookie has struggled, as is customary for many Japanese pitchers making the move to America with its different ball size and grip. But Sasaki's 4.72 ERA, 6.14 FIP, and 24:22 K:BB ratio have still left fans wanting more.
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He has only thrown six innings once over eight outings and has allowed at least one earned run every time. That includes a difficult stretch from late April until his injury date, where over three combined starts, he had a 6.75 ERA, a 7.37 FIP, and eight strikeouts to six walks over 14 and 2/3 innings.
The verdict is not even close to out on Sasaki yet, and maybe his shoulder issues contributed to a slow start. A physical and mental reset may help flip the narrative.
The Dodgers will be more than fine with their current staff of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and Landon Knack. Sasaki could theoretically see time out of the bullpen to ease his transition back to the mound.
Related: Dodgers' Dave Roberts Reveals Hyeseong Kim Plan Amid Questions Mounting About Demotion
Related: Dave Roberts in Disbelief Over Aaron Judge After Dodgers-Yankees Series
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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