GLENDALE, Ariz. — While Roki Sasaki’s pitching exploits in Japan are legendary, there is at least one person close to him who is sure the best is yet to come.
For a pitcher who fired a perfect game in 2022 as a member of the Chiba Lotte Marines, then followed it in the next outing with eight more perfect innings, the idea that there is more to offer borders on the absurd.
The Dodgers will find out soon enough after Sasaki officially was named the team’s starter for the second game of the season on March 19 in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.
If anybody should know Sasaki’s potential, it would be Tadahito Iguchi. The former World Series winner as the starting second baseman for the 2005 Chicago White Sox was Sasaki’s manager for the pitcher’s first three seasons in the Japan Pacific League from 2021-23.
Iguchi was the one who made the somewhat controversial decision to remove Sasaki from an April 17, 2022, start against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, when his young pitcher was three outs away from a second consecutive perfect game.
In the perfect game and the eight-inning follow-up, Sasaki had a combined 33 strikeouts in 17 innings. And the way Iguchi sees it, more domination will come, in time.
“He is, of course, in the middle of his development right now and he will be improving throughout the year,” Iguchi said through an interpreter, in between watching Shohei Ohtani at-bats in a recent Cactus League game. “That is the goal, the next step.
“His potential, nobody knows his future potential. The fastball and forkball combination is great. If he can play throughout the year, he will be a strong contributor to the team.”
After pitching three Cactus League innings against the Cincinnati Reds in support of starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto last week, while reaching 99 mph and retiring six of the last seven batters he faced, Sasaki made his first start and final Arizona appearance against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday and thrived.
The right-hander gave up a lone single over four scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts. He did not allow a run over his seven Cactus League innings.
“There were a few things that didn’t go the way I wanted today,” Sasaki admitted through an interpreter. “I sort of reverted to some bad habits. But to have those come out in a game before Opening Day, so that I can adjust them in time, is a good thing.”
The Dodgers will have to open a 40-man roster spot in order to add Sasaki when the final roster is due before the March 18 season opener.
“He earned the spot,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose new contract became official on Tuesday. “I’m very proud of him. For a young player to pitch for the Dodgers, obviously he’s talented and we’re excited to have him. I think it’s going to be great for him. It’s great for us. It gives us a great chance to win and it’s great for baseball.”
HIGH FIVE
Roberts named Dustin May the Dodgers’ No. 5 starter, rewarding him after a difficult rehab process from Tommy John surgery, that also included extended downtime for an esophageal tear. May last pitched in the major leagues on May 17, 2023.
Fellow fifth-starter candidate Tony Gonsolin tweaked his back lifting weights in recent days, making the Dodgers’ decision an easier one. Roberts said Gonsolin will open the season on the injured list and will remain in Arizona to resume his progression toward being a starter.
May also will remain in Arizona when the team travels to Japan. He will rejoin the club for the March 23-25 Freeway Series exhibition games against the Angels. The day of his 2025 regular-season debut is still being decided.
While Yamamoto and Sasaki will make starts in Japan Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow will fill the Nos. 3 and 4 slots, with Roberts declining to say which pitcher gets which spot.
HAVE A CATCH
As Shohei Ohtani’s bullpen sessions have been put on hold, while he attempts to return to pitching this season, he has participated in a pair of flat-ground throwing sessions on the outfield grass to a catcher.
The most recent flat-ground session came Tuesday morning when Ohtani was throwing in the 88-90 mph range, while using his complete arsenal of pitches.
The Dodgers still have not pinpointed a return to the mound after Ohtani had a second major elbow surgery in late 2023, but it is not expected to come until after April at the earliest. His bullpen sessions from a mound are delayed at least until the team returns from Japan.
“He’s been throwing. He hasn’t stopped throwing. But I don’t know when he’s going to throw his next bullpen,” Roberts said. “… He understood the process. He’s ramped up with the hitting and to let that (pitching) part of the process slow down and not intensify both things, he was on board.”
MILLER PLAN
Bobby Miller will continue his preparations for the season after the team departs by advancing to a two-inning, 30-pitch simulated game in the coming days. Miller’s most recent appearance was a 20-pitch live batting practice.
Miller has not pitched in a game setting since he was hit in the head by a comebacker from the Cubs’ Michael Busch in a Feb. 20 Cactus League game.
The 25-year-old is looking to rebound this season after he struggled to a 2-4 record with an 8.52 ERA in 13 major-league starts and had 30 walks in 56 innings pitched.
SLOW PROGRESSION
While the Dodgers have not confirmed their 31-player traveling party for the Japan trip, Roberts did reveal that infielder Hyeseong Kim will not be a part of it. Roberts said the new addition from South Korea will open the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Kim participated in each of the final seven Cactus League games, mostly off the bench, and went 0 for 2 with a strikeout Tuesday, while batting .207 in the spring with a .613 on-base percentage.
“The last four days have been really good for him,” Roberts said of Kim, who spent time in center field. “He looks much more comfortable at bat. The defense has been really good, and we feel that it is most important for him to stay here, get at-bats and play in games to help him get ready for the season.”
NOTE
Mookie Betts did not participate in either of the final two Cactus League games, with Roberts saying his shortstop was dealing with an illness Tuesday.
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