Latest news with #RokiSasaki
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.
The Mainichi
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki had shoulder issues before joining Dodgers: sources
The right shoulder impingement that landed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki on the injured list May 13 is the same as an injury the 23-year-old suffered last season with Nippon Professional Baseball's Chiba Lotte Marines, baseball sources have revealed. According to these sources, Sasaki first experienced pain in his throwing shoulder during the first half of last season, his fifth as a professional. Medical examinations at the time produced the same diagnosis -- impingement. Sasaki reportedly complained that the pain occurred after pitching motions, saying his right shoulder "would hurt whenever I used it." However, medical imaging revealed no abnormalities, forcing the team to depend significantly on the pitcher's personal assessment of his condition. Due to what the Marines officially classified as "poor condition in the right arm," Sasaki missed nearly two months from June last season. When symptoms flared up, Sasaki managed his condition by spacing out his pitching appearances or halting throwing until the pain subsided. Despite the lingering shoulder concerns, Sasaki posted a career-best performance in his final Japanese season, recording 10 wins and five losses in 18 games, facilitating his high-profile move to the Dodgers. According to Dr. Tetsuya Yamazaki, head of the sports orthopedics department at Yokohama Minami Kyousai Hospital and a prominent expert on professional baseball players' shoulder injuries, impingement often develops from collisions between the acromion -- the upper outer portion of the scapula -- and the rotator cuff muscles. It can also occur within the joint due to contact between the glenoid labrum and the rotator cuff tendons. Before Sasaki's MLB transfer, the Chiba Lotte Marines reportedly provided detailed medical and injury records, including information about his right shoulder issues, to interested MLB clubs during negotiations.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Roki Sasaki is too predictable, Jorge Polanco is keeping it simple and more
Roki Sasaki started this year with high expectations for his MLB debut season. However, his ERA sits at 4.72 through his first eight starts, and deeper signs of struggle are beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Jorge Polanco — mainly limited to left-handed hitting due to injury — is quietly having the best season of his career in Seattle. Today, I will dive into what is causing Sasaki's struggles and whether Polanco's performance is sustainable. Advertisement While moving from Japan comes with challenges and adjustments, let's dive into what is causing Sasaki's struggles on the mound with the Dodgers and whether he can improve. There are four issues I'm seeing for Sasaki: In Japan, Sasaki's fastball averaged 98-99 mph, reaching 101 mph at times in 2023. Based on international scouting reports, his average fastball velocity in 2024 was closer to 97 mph. This season, he started hot, hitting 100 mph in his first start. However, his velocity has been steadily dropping since, leading to a season average velocity of 96 mph. Sasaki's 14% walk rate is in the bottom 4% of MLB. His below-average first-pitch strike rate is a contributing factor, as he consistently falls behind in counts. This is leading to problems getting outs, and I will discuss this more when I get to his attack vs. righties. He throws three pitches: a 96 mph four-seamer, an 85 mph splitter and an 82 mph slider. However, the slider is not an effective pitch, as Sasaki can't control it. He mainly throws it against righties, but it consistently does not fool hitters and results in balls. Its two-strike conversion rate (percent of pitches resulting in a strikeout) is the ninth-worst in baseball among pitchers who have thrown at least 100 sliders. Looking at the pitch chart, it is clear why. Many of these sliders are not thrown in competitive locations. They rarely get chased low and don't induce swings when thrown inside. Even some of the strikes called on the inside are borderline pitches. This is his only breaking pitch, and Sasaki can't land it for strikes consistently. Overall, hitters are not chasing his stuff. All three of his pitches result in well below-average chase. As a result, he needs to throw more in-zone. This is the biggest problem I see with Sasaki — his pitches are not finishing off hitters. We already saw that none of his pitches are getting chased, meaning he needs to throw in-zone. But his two most relied on pitches are also not getting missed when thrown in-zone: If they are not getting whiffs, then ideally they would be getting ground balls or weak contact. Of his three pitches, only the four-seamer is getting more ground balls than average, which is interesting because the four-seamer is not typically a ground ball pitch. In terms of contact, only the slider has a hard hit rate that is better than average. The four-seamer and the splitter are consistently resulting in hard contact: So he is not getting chase, whiffs, ground balls or soft contact, making it much harder for him to get outs. As a right-handed pitcher, Sasaki should be doing better than he is against righties. So far this season, he has a 4.82 FIP. In addition to the issues discussed previously, Sasaki is also very predictable against righties. Looking at his pitch usage, he leans heavily on his four-seamer. The only situation where he mixes his pitches is with two strikes. The four-seamer usage is so high when he falls behind (which occurs more often than average) that, in full counts, hitters can expect a fastball. Even the first pitch four-seamer usage is high enough for hitters to anticipate attacking early. Advertisement On Tuesday, May 13, the Dodgers placed Sasaki on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder impingement. While this injury may have affected his results a bit, Sasaki's lower velocity, below-average control, poor pitch results and predictable game plan have made it hard for him to see consistent success at the MLB level so far. If Sasaki is to see better results upon his return, he will need to do a better job throwing competitive pitches, getting ahead in counts and fooling hitters. Despite not being 100% healthy, Polanco is off to a hot start this season with a 1.021 OPS through 34 games. A switch hitter his entire career, Polanco started this season batting as a lefty for the majority of the time due to dealing with soreness when batting from the right side — just 12 plate appearances as a righty. In his career, Polanco has been more successful as a left-handed hitter: In 2025, his stat line as a lefty is even more impressive: 113 PAs, 12% strikeout rate, 6% walk rate, 1.026 OPS. The two biggest differences are his contact quality and bat-to-ball ability on the left side. His average exit velocity is a career-high 92.2 mph, and his .614 xSLG ranks eighth in MLB. He is also doing significantly better in the heart of the zone. In terms of his bat-to-ball ability, he's cut his strikeout rate significantly compared to his career numbers when batting left-handed and is making more contact in-zone while missing less overall. Looking at his mechanics, it looks like Polanco has simplified his pre-pitch stance and load this season: Starting with pre-pitch, Polanco is standing more closed and is straighter in the box. His hands are also elevated compared to the end of 2024. Looking at his load position, there are several key differences. In 2024, Polanco loaded with a dramatic leg raise that shifted his weight completely to his back leg before pausing and swinging. In 2025, we are seeing a much more subtle leg raise with a more fluid shift in weight that transfers his power more effectively to his swing. Overall, it is quieter and more athletic. As a result, he is barreling and translating his power into games effectively this season. Advertisement While his strikeout rate is lower and his contact quality is improved, his plate discipline is similar to that of his career. The biggest change is that he is ambushing the first pitch a career-high 35% of the time. He's only seeing first-pitch fastballs 45% of the time, so he's not just targeting fastballs. He is more prepared to attack any first pitch he likes in-zone. Overall, Polanco's start in 2025 is not just luck; it is due to adjustments and the situation. Hitting lefty and simplifying his swing have allowed him to improve his contact while maintaining power. Even though the Dodgers are losing Roki Sasaki for a short time, they have no shortage of pitchers ready to step up. With Tony Gonsolin back and Clayton Kershaw's activation off the IL, the rotation remains strong. While it is great to have depth, this talent also blocks younger players from having an opportunity to start long-term. RHP Ben Casparius, for example, is someone I see as a rotation piece on most other teams around MLB. He is expected to be a long reliever for the Dodgers, but if he's traded, he can certainly take on a higher role as a starter with a new team. He has strikeout stuff, the ability to face both hands, and above-average control. His development and progress, though potentially overshadowed in Los Angeles, are worth keeping an eye on. Ozzie Albies is having a rocky start to the season with a .616 OPS. His struggles stem from a decline in contact quality, particularly power. This season, he is not hitting the ball as hard as in past years. His maximum exit velocity is 107.2mph (down about six mph from last season), and his hard hit rate ranks 10th-worst in baseball at 26%. This may partially be due to him seeing fewer fastballs than in years past, but his power against fastballs has also declined. This trend is seen for Albies as both a lefty and righty, but is significantly worse as a righty hitter. Albies has historically done very well from the right side, so this is particularly concerning. Something to keep an eye on for improvement would be if he starts making hard contact consistently again soon, at least from one side of the plate. It's hard to say he'll be back to normal without seeing his exit velocities rebound first. The Rays' Brandon Lowe is also having a worse-than-anticipated start to the season, stemming from increased misses in the zone. He has a .416 OPS against lefties this season, and the Rays recently benched him against Max Fried. This was particularly telling as the Rays' lineup has been underwhelming overall. Lowe's struggles are not related to his contact quality, which remains strong, but rather, he is missing too many pitches in-zone, especially fastballs. If he is going to bounce back this season, the improvement will begin when he starts making more contact in-zone, especially against hard pitches. (Top photo of Roki Sasaki: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers' Roki Sasaki Might Have a Long-Term Health Issue
The Los Angeles Dodgers remain at the top of the NL thanks to the great talent and depth on both sides of the field. While the Dodgers are loaded, they cannot have injury concerns affect their roster. Starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are currently on the 15-day IL. © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Things have worsened for the Dodgers' pitching rotation as another significant injury has hit the team. Rookie Roki Sasaki is out for an uncertain amount of time with a shoulder impingement. Advertisement It is unknown how long he will be out after having an up-and-down rookie season, but his injury couldn't come at a worse time for the Dodgers. The Athletic's Fabien Ardaya was on the Foul Territory to talk about Sasaki's injury and how it could affect him in the long run. 'I think they should be at least somewhat worried, especially since this is a shoulder issue he was dealing with last year, too," Ardaya said. "Is this a chronic thing? Is this something that can be corrected? Is this something that the way he throws is going to lead them to shoulder issues and the velocity is not going to get back to where he is.' Ardaya went on to talk about the specifics of Sasaki's fastball velocity before the injury and how much it was affected afterwards. Advertisement In eight games played, Sasaki has posted a season ERA of 4.72 and delivered 24 strikeouts, allowing 29 hits, 18 runs, and 22 walks. Even without the injury, Sasaki would need much more help and development. Related: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Makes MLB History in Latest Milestone Moment
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw struggles in return from multiple surgeries
Clayton Kershaw has undergone three surgeries since the end of the 2023 season. (Photo by) Clayton Kershaw began his first start in eight months on a strong note. It got a bit worst after that. The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher made his season debut on Saturday after missing nearly two months rehabbing from multiple surgeries. Taking the mound against the Los Angeles Angels, he struck out leadoff hitter Zach Neto with his trademark slider. Then four of the next five Angels reached base, with Matthew Lugo capping off a three-run rally with an RBI double. Kershaw finished his night with five hits, five earned runs, three walks, two strikeouts and 83 pitches (48 strikes) in four innings. Per Baseball Savant, his four-seam fastball averaged 89.2 mph, topping out at 90.9 mph. Advertisement During the offseason, Kershaw re-signed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $7.5 million deal after undergoing surgery on his foot and knee at the end of 2024. That 2024 season was abbreviated as well, as the southpaw missed the first half recovering from a shoulder surgery, then missed the last month of the regular season and the entire postseason with the foot issue. Not many teams would give that kind of money to a player who just hasn't been effective or healthy since the 2023 regular season, but that's the level of meaning Kershaw still holds for the Dodgers. With three members of their highly anticipated rotation — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki — already on the IL, they are certainly hoping he can at least be a consistent starting pitcher. Saturday wasn't the best start on that front, but that's probably not stopping them from giving significant time to get right.
