GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Talk about your mixed signals.
The riddle that is Roki Sasaki does not look any easier to solve after his second spring start on Tuesday.
Sasaki couldn’t throw strikes and didn’t retire a batter in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians. He walked three and gave up a single and a grand slam. Only eight of his 23 pitches (before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled him from the game) were strikes with many of the misses wildly off the plate.
He wasn’t much better in his Cactus League debut last week, facing nine hitters and giving up three hits (two doubles) and walking two. That combined with the first inning Tuesday should have been cause for concern, if not alarm, regarding a pitcher the Dodgers expect to open the season in their starting rotation.
Thank goodness for the re-enter rule used in spring training.
Sasaki came back out for the second inning and breezed through two hitless innings, striking out two and throwing just 22 pitches (13 strikes) to retire six consecutive batters.
Sasaki explained that his mechanics – particularly his upper body – felt “a little off” in the first inning. He tried to adjust with “a longer arm path or something but it didn’t really go well,” he said through an interpreter.
“I actually felt pretty good in the bullpen and entering the game,” Sasaki said. “I felt my upper body kind of leaning forward during my first two pitches, and then I kind of raised up my upper body a little bit, and then my body kind of felt better, and everything just clicked after that. The results were really bad this time, but my feel and also mechanics kind of matched – and also the result matched, actually, together finally. So I think it’s good.”
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki walks to the dugout after being removed during the first inning of a Cactus League game against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday in Goodyear, Ariz. Sasaki re-entered the game in the second inning and pitched two scoreless innings. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images)
Adjustments to his mechanics last September salvaged his rookie season with a postseason spent in the bullpen. That is still an ongoing project, Sasaki said.
“The past few years, actually, my mechanics were really bad. It’s not something that I really want, so I’m now trying to make some adjustments,” he said.
“I was able to find something I could really trust. But I still need to work on [it] to reproduce in the game. I was able to find a better way to use my lower body, but I still have some issues in the upper body, so I’m gonna work on it and keep moving forward.”
Roberts attributed Sasaki’s struggles to throw strikes in his first start to “overthrowing.” This time, he said the concern level was not that high because he thought Sasaki was just “a little bit out of sync with the delivery.”
“I just let Mark (Prior) handle this one,” Roberts said of a conversation between Sasaki and the pitching coach on the bench.
“That’s why you have spring training and you work through it. You gotta be able to make in-game adjustments. As he gets more experience, you would expect that to happen in the inning sooner than having to sit for 20 minutes and then come and reset. But it’s part of the learning curve.”
River Ryan was one of the pitchers who followed Sasaki against the Guardians. He didn’t allow a hit in two innings, walked one and struck out three. Returning from Tommy John surgery, Ryan has faced 10 batters in two Cactus League outings and hasn’t given up a hit.
“That’s one of those things where River hasn’t been in competition for a while. So to see him get better each outing has been very encouraging,” Roberts said. “I thought he looked like a major-league pitcher today and not just a guy with a lot of stuff.”
Sasaki hasn’t been able to make that transition with the Dodgers yet, but Roberts has already said he expects Sasaki to be in the starting rotation.
“I think it can change, but I don’t think it’s going to change before we break (camp),” Roberts said Tuesday. “We see him as a starter and (we are) giving him every opportunity for success. But again, we still have to coach him up and he’s still got to continue to get outs and work ahead like major-league starters do.
“You want everyone to pitch well. You want everyone to stay healthy. I think right now where we’re at, I don’t think we need to really talk about a competition as far as the rotation. Guys just need to keep building up, getting better. Once we get to the 21st of March, we’ll have a better idea once we break camp. But I think right now there’s just too much that can happen.”
LITTLE TUCK
Kyle Tucker has left Dodgers’ camp in order to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Tucker is expected back in camp some time after the baby is born.
Tucker has played in four Cactus League games so far, going 1 for 7 with four walks.
STONE EXAM
Right-hander Gavin Stone underwent an MRI on his surgically-repaired shoulder after he experienced renewed discomfort following a throwing session last week.
According to Roberts, the exam showed inflammation in Stone’s shoulder but no structural damage.
“It’s going to be a shutdown for a couple weeks and we’ll kind of reevaluate then,” Roberts said. “I think we dodged a bullet. We feel good about it.”
CHEER LEADER
Kiké Hernandez will be leaving Dodgers camp and joining Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic. Hernandez is still recovering from elbow surgery in November and won’t be ready to play for months yet. The Dodgers placed him on the 60-day injured list to start the season.
Hernandez played in the WBC for Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2023.
EDMAN UPDATE
Tommy Edman has progressed far enough in his recovery from ankle surgery to take batting practice in the cage from both sides. But he is not expected to play in a game before the end of Cactus League play.
“He’s swinging from both sides. He’s running. Playing catch and all that stuff,” Roberts said. “So he’s progressing nicely. Still obviously a ways away from playing in a game but it’s been really good to see his progression.”
ALSO
Outfielder Jack Suwinski cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minors by the Dodgers. Suwinski was claimed on waivers from the Pirates 10 days ago. The move opens a spot on the 40-man roster.