Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Roki Sasaki’s major league debut was cut short after he struggled with control, issuing four walks and getting only five outs in his first two innings. The 23-year-old right-hander, touted as Japan’s most impressive young pitcher, allowed two runs on three singles before being replaced by Jack Dreyer.
Sasaki had a difficult time settling in at Dodger Stadium, where he walked five batters in three innings last week against the Chicago Cubs. His splitter, which can be unhittable at its best, wasn’t consistent, and he repeatedly fell behind in counts.
Despite his struggles, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in Sasaki, saying “we have full faith in him” and that he knows what he’s doing. Catcher Will Smith agreed, stating that Sasaki will come back out and be dominant. The team has a comfortable rest schedule for Sasaki, who is set to start next weekend in Philadelphia.
Sasaki himself acknowledged the challenge of adapting to major league pitching but remains committed to improving his control and performance. He expects quality outings as a major league pitcher and is focused on working on his issues throughout the upcoming weeks.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/roki-sasaki-dodgers-debut-bd8bd8bce19a0feb57e85601dc0fc598