LOS ANGELES — Rōki Sasaki’s rookie season might go down as one of the strangest — and most spectacular — debut campaigns in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
Touted as the most anticipated international signing since Shohei Ohtani, Sasaki arrived from Japan as a 23-year-old phenom with 100-mph heat and a once-in-a-generation splitter. But instead of instant stardom, his first few months were marked by frustration: uneven command, shoulder pain, and a mid-season stint on the injured list that seemed to end his year before it really began.
Even Dave Roberts admitted in July that he couldn’t put a timeline on Sasaki’s return. Then came an unexpected twist. The Dodgers’ training staff pieced together a recovery plan that not only stabilized Sasaki’s shoulder but allowed him to rediscover his mechanics. A few dominant Triple-A outings later, his velocity was back — and Los Angeles had found an unlikely postseason weapon.
From Rehab to Relief Ace
By late September, Sasaki was back in Dodger blue, throwing two scoreless innings to close out the regular season and earning a surprise spot on the postseason roster. Once October began, he seized the moment.
He finished off the Wild Card sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, then locked down consecutive saves against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS — bailing out Blake Treinen in Game 2 — before spinning three perfect innings in the clincher. In all, Sasaki has delivered 7 ⅓ innings of near-perfection, allowing only two harmless hits.
Armed with a blistering fastball that routinely hits triple digits and a devastating splitter that drops off the table, Sasaki has struck out elite sluggers like Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber without flinching.
“He’s honestly one of the best pitchers I’ve ever seen,” teammate Tyler Glasnow said after the NLDS.
Roberts called his Game 4 outing “one of the great all-time appearances out of the pen.”
The New Ninth-Inning Trust
Now, as the Dodgers prepare for the National League Championship Series, Roberts faces one easy decision — Sasaki must stay the closer.
No other reliever on the roster has inspired as much confidence. Tanner Scott is unavailable for the rest of the postseason, Treinen has battled inconsistency, and the rest of the bullpen is better suited for matchup work. The 23-year-old rookie, once seen as a long-term project, has suddenly become the club’s most dependable arm in high-leverage innings.
Of course, his meteoric rise leaves unanswered questions. Sasaki hasn’t yet faced true adversity as a reliever — he’s allowed only two hits since his return and no runs. How will he respond the first time a ball clears the wall or a pair of runners reach base? Will the calm, almost stoic right-hander maintain his poise, or will he finally show cracks under pressure?
The Matchup Ahead
Whether the Dodgers face the Cubs or Brewers in the NLCS, Sasaki’s challenge will escalate. Chicago brings power from Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, and Pete Crow-Armstrong; Milwaukee counters with postseason-hot Christian Yelich and rookie sensation Jackson Chourio. Yet no matter the opponent, Sasaki’s presence in the ninth changes everything.
In his brief MLB experience, he’s already faced the Cubs twice — once in his debut — with mixed results. But that was as a starter, before his mechanics, confidence, and health clicked. Now, in short bursts, he’s a completely different pitcher.
The Dodgers’ Gamble That Paid Off
The irony is rich: the Dodgers, who whiffed on adding a proven closer at the deadline, may have stumbled into one anyway. By necessity, Andrew Friedman’s front office turned to a rookie who’d spent half the season on the injured list — and found lightning in a bottle.
Whether this run ends in a World Series or heartbreak, Sasaki has already rewritten his narrative. From struggling import to shutdown reliever, he’s proved that raw talent, patience, and trust can converge at exactly the right time.
For now, Rōki Sasaki isn’t just the Dodgers’ future ace.
He’s their present-tense difference-maker, the wild card who might just pitch Los Angeles back to the World Series.
