Roki Sasaki’s debut at Dodger Stadium ended in disappointment on Saturday, with the rookie pitcher exiting after 1 2/3 innings due to poor command and control. The young hurler has now walked nine batters in just four career innings, a far cry from his impressive stats in Japan.
Sasaki struggled to find the strike zone, missing by over a foot on his first two fastballs to Detroit Tigers leadoff hitter Zach McKinstry. He allowed a single, loaded the bases before giving up runs on a single and a walk, but managed to secure his first Dodger Stadium strikeout.
Manager Dave Roberts attributed Sasaki’s issues to “overthrowing” before the game, which can cause pitchers to lose control of their deliveries. The Dodgers’ skipper wants to see the ball commanded, particularly on Sasaki’s fastball, as it is a key component of his elite splitter.
Despite the struggles, Sasaki remains only 23 years old and has plenty of room for improvement. However, with a strong season ahead, he must address these issues quickly. The Dodgers’ manager expressed concerns over Sasaki’s performance, saying he needs to do better by his standards.
The early returns on Roki Sasaki are mixed, but one thing is clear: he needs to work on his command and control if he wants to live up to his lofty expectations as the NL Rookie of the Year favorite.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/roki-sasaki-exits-early-in-dodger-stadium-debut-hes-up-to-9-walks-in-less-than-5-career-mlb-innings-021123113.html