Overview
- Sasaki opened his 2026 season with four innings of one-run ball in a 4-2 loss to the Guardians, allowing four hits with two walks and four strikeouts at Dodger Stadium.
- His fastball averaged 97.6 mph and touched 99.5 mph, an uptick from last year that the team views as vital given his past trouble locating pitches.
- He generated nine swings and misses, including several with a newly introduced cutter, though his signature splitter often missed the zone and remained hard to land for strikes.
- The start followed a rough spring in which he issued 15 walks and gave up 15 runs in 8 2/3 innings, yet the Dodgers kept him in the rotation as manager Dave Roberts emphasized trust in his stuff and sequencing.
- Sasaki and catcher Dalton Rushing said the night helped restore confidence, but club officials stressed that sustained command and steady velocity will determine whether he can stick as a starter.