Rōki Sasaki’s MLB transition with the Dodgers isn’t going according to plan. The Japanese phenom who dominated NPB is finding big league hitters a different challenge altogether.
The Dodgers invested $6.5 million in Sasaki as an international signing bonus on top of his rookie salary, but the returns have been modest. Through eight appearances, he’s posted a 4.72 ERA while issuing 22 walks. His command looks shaky, his velocity isn’t matching his NPB levels, and he’s still searching for the dominance that made him a sensation in Japan.
Despite these struggles, Dave Roberts isn’t considering a minor league assignment. “There’s nothing more impactful than going through a particular experience,” Roberts said, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. “He’s going through some struggles right now. Major League hitters tell you what adjustments you need to make. Coaches can tell you things. He can think some things. But ultimately, you can make adjustments and he will make adjustments given how the hitters respond. I think you learn that by doing that here.”
It’s quite a contrast from Sasaki’s NPB performance, where he posted a 2.35 ERA last season and a 2.46 ERA across four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines. His electric velocity was his calling card in Japan, but interestingly, the Dodgers initially tried a different approach.
“The Dodgers supported Sasaki’s desire to retrain his velocity this spring, ‘but he also felt like it affected his command tremendously in those first couple outings,’ (pitching coach Mark Prior) said,” wrote Ardaya. “So it’s something that we made a decision to move away from.”
At just 23, Sasaki has time on his side. The adjustment to MLB – not to mention life in a new country – isn’t easy. We’ve seen this movie before with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who struggled early but has transformed into one of baseball’s elite pitchers.
But the clock ticks differently for a team with World Series aspirations. If Sasaki’s struggles persist and better options emerge, the Dodgers might reconsider their stance on keeping him in the majors. For now, they’re betting that the best classroom for their prized international signing is the big league mound.
