After a turbulent start with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Roki Sasaki is finding his rhythm, stifling hitters with a dominant surge over his last four outings.
The Los Angeles Dodgers understood exactly what they were signing up for when they committed to Roki Sasaki.
Developing one of the world’s most talented young pitchers was never expected to produce immediate perfection. It required patience, resources, and an organization willing to prioritize long-term growth over short-term results.
Few franchises are better equipped for that challenge than the Dodgers.
Financial resources have never been an obstacle, and neither has their willingness to invest time in player development. The organization viewed pressure as part of the learning process, giving Sasaki the opportunity to grow at the MLB level exactly as it promised when he chose Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2025.
That patience is beginning to pay off.
Sasaki’s progress
For the fourth consecutive start, Sasaki looked increasingly like the frontline pitcher the Dodgers believed they were acquiring.
The 24-year-old has quietly become one of the team’s most encouraging stories during the second half.
Sasaki is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and a 3.44 FIP over his last four starts. He has struck out 26 hitters while walking only seven in 24 innings.
He continued that impressive stretch Thursday against the Seattle Mariners.
Sasaki allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings while striking out seven and walking three in the Dodgers’ 6-2 victory.
The performance improved his season record to 5-5 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 99 innings over 19 starts. He has also recorded 101 strikeouts against 39 walks.
His progress has not gone unnoticed inside the clubhouse.
According to the Los Angeles Times, catcher Dalton Rushing explained that confidence has played a significant role in Sasaki’s recent improvement.
Rushing said the right-hander struggled with confidence earlier in the season, but once he received the opportunity to settle in and simply be himself, the best version of his game began to emerge.
“This is a tough league,” Rushing said.
“You have to have confidence and if you don’t have confidence, it’s hard to be successful. I think that’s all it was. He lacked a little bit of confidence early on. And as soon as he had that runway to kind of allow himself to be himself, you’ve seen the best out of him.”
The recent stretch reinforces an important reality.
Player development is rarely linear, particularly for young pitchers adjusting to a new league, new country, and entirely different expectations.
Sasaki’s improvement has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
His talent has never been questioned. What the Dodgers needed was time for that talent to fully translate against MLB hitters.
Sasaki’s upside
Sasaki’s greatest strengths extend beyond his electric arsenal. He possesses the willingness to learn, make adjustments, and embrace coaching, qualities that have become hallmarks of the Dodgers’ player development system.
Rather than becoming discouraged by early struggles, he has continued refining his approach with each outing.
His composure has also improved noticeably. Young pitchers often allow adversity to snowball, but Sasaki has shown increasing maturity by limiting damage and remaining focused after difficult innings.
Another encouraging sign is his confidence. The freedom to trust his abilities instead of trying to be perfect has allowed his natural talent to emerge more consistently.
For the Dodgers, those qualities may ultimately matter as much as the results themselves. They suggest Sasaki is developing not only into a talented starter, but into one capable of handling the expectations that come with pitching meaningful games deep into October.
