Overview
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he does not see a scenario where Roki Sasaki fails to break camp as a starter, reaffirming his Opening Day rotation spot.
- In a B-game against White Sox minor leaguers, Sasaki threw four scoreless innings on 59 pitches with 40 strikes, striking out nine and reportedly touching 98–100 mph.
- The club’s spring plan emphasizes reestablishing fastball command, using his full pitch mix, and building to four innings as part of a mechanics-focused ramp-up.
- Sasaki’s Cactus League results have been uneven, with seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings (18.90 ERA), including a grand slam allowed to the Guardians.
- Injuries to Blake Snell and Gavin Stone have increased the Dodgers’ need for rotation innings, and despite Sasaki’s 0.84 ERA as a 2025 postseason reliever, the team is proceeding with him as a starter.