Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The fervor over Roki Sasaki (combined with hate for the Dodgers) is such that social media had a field day with mere highlights from a live batting practice he threw last week. Well, today at least people got a chance to see him in an actual game for his Spring Training debut with the Dodgers against the Reds.
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Despite having some understandable early nerves, he also definitely impressed, sitting 97-99 mph with his fastball and delivering a bunch of absolutely unhittable splitters. He struck out five batters in three shutout innings, surrendering a double, single, walk, hitting a batter, and throwing one wild pitch.
Roki with 5 Ks in three shutout innings in his Cactus League debut! pic.twitter.com/yeYOJuuWKF
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 5, 2025
Hitters will tell you how the stuff is playing.
About as good an endorsement as you'll get. https://t.co/sxtODK9nh8 pic.twitter.com/H5ffxi8VXQ
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 5, 2025
While there was some debate about his pitch classification, it seems like he only threw three breaking balls, all sliders.
Here’s an example of a couple fastballs…
…a whole bunch of nasty splitters…
…and all three sliders he threw.
The scouting report on him basically held up. It’s encouraging that he’s already flirting with 100 mph, but hitters also got some quality swings against it, so progress with the shape and location will be important. For now, the split looks like an untouchable 80-grade option that should allow him to be effective no matter what, while the spin is still a work in progress.
Quick takeaways from Roki Sasaki's data…
— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) March 5, 2025
-Splitter is slower & has more drop than 2024 NPB. Down 3 mph, 5" less vertical break
-Is it… 2 splits? 3" horizontal mvmt difference between lefties & righties
–#Dodgers left his slider untouched from 2024 NPB data
Hard to see this outing as anything but exciting and encouraging.
Kinda explains the two-direction action. https://t.co/ez08bUjKC9
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 5, 2025
I am ready, and he sounds confident.
"I did feel really good about being able to jam some hitters and as long as I throw quality pitches, I should be able to get these guys out."
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 5, 2025
Roki Sasaki on how his stuff plays against big league hitters. pic.twitter.com/iHOY2iTXWY
