Roki Sasaki’s command issues are becoming a real problem for the Dodgers.
The Japanese right-hander struggled again Monday night, throwing just 13 strikes in 30 pitches during a rough first inning that saw him hit a batter, walk the bases loaded, and walk in two runs before manager Dave Roberts pulled him.
It’s the latest concerning outing for Sasaki, who was expected to anchor the Dodgers’ rotation after they invested heavily to bring him over from Japan. Instead, he’s dealing with the same command problems that plagued him early last season.
The Dodgers tried to fix things by moving Sasaki to the bullpen during their World Series run, which worked well enough in October. But they didn’t sign him to be a reliever long-term.
Now with Opening Day approaching, Sasaki can’t seem to find the strike zone consistently. Monday’s performance was particularly alarming – walking four batters in one inning, including two with the bases loaded, isn’t going to cut it at this level.
And after another bases-loaded walk, Dave Roberts is out to get Roki Sasaki –– after just 13 strikes in 30 pitches
He’ll likely re-enter for the second, but it’s yet another inning this spring he couldn’t complete bc of bad command/high pitch count. Worrying to say the least https://t.co/SBH4rUrCWz
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) March 24, 2026
The good news for Los Angeles is they’ve got enough depth and talent to weather Sasaki’s struggles if they continue. This team’s built to win with or without him being a front-line starter.
But that’s not the plan they had in mind when they made this investment.
The Dodgers need Sasaki to be more than a bullpen weapon if they want to maximize their championship window. His stuff is electric when he’s throwing strikes, but command has been his achilles heel since arriving in MLB.
With the regular season starting this week, time’s running out for Sasaki to figure things out. The Dodgers can only be patient for so long before they have to consider other options for their rotation.
