Roki Sasaki excelled in a relief role during the Dodgers' World Series championship run, securing three saves and allowing just one earned run in 10 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander, who joined the team in January after a year in the majors, will shift back to starting pitching next season. His postseason performance highlighted improvements in velocity and command following a shoulder injury.
Roki Sasaki's transition to the bullpen for the Los Angeles Dodgers' postseason proved effective, showcasing a resurgence after a challenging regular season marred by a right shoulder injury. As the team's closer, Sasaki delivered scoreless outings against top competition, culminating in a World Series title. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman emphasized the focus on refining Sasaki's delivery, stating after World Series Game 7 in Toronto, "I think for us, it was about trying to get his delivery back. I feel like we made a lot of progress on that. And so for us, we're definitely viewing him as a starter and a really good one, and we'll continue to work this offseason and put him in the best position to be ready in Spring Training to help us win again."
Encouraging Signs
Sasaki's velocity returned prominently in relief. During his starting role, he threw only eight pitches at 99 mph or faster. From his MLB relief debut on Sept. 24, he unleashed 46 such pitches. He improved location on his four-seamer and splitter, reducing his walk rate from 14.3% to 10% and boosting his strikeout rate from 15.6% to 20%. As a starter, he had 22 walks and 24 strikeouts; the relief shift made his splitter more unpredictable, achieving a 51.3% whiff rate. This performance echoed the electric talent that drew MLB interest when he was posted last offseason, and he pitched with newfound conviction.
Lingering Concerns
Despite positives, Sasaki's fastball velocity dipped later in the postseason. He averaged 99-100 mph through the National League Division Series but sat just over 98 mph in his final five outings during the NL Championship Series and World Series. He generated more than one whiff on the fastball only twice in 11 appearances, though the overall whiff rate rose from 10.1% to 20% compared to starting. The slowdown followed his heaviest workload: three perfect innings on 36 pitches in NLDS Game 4. In NLCS Game 1 after three days' rest, he averaged 98 mph and allowed his only postseason run.
Looking Ahead
Uncertainties remain due to differing demands of starting versus relieving. Sasaki developed a cutter during shoulder rehab, using it in Minor League assignments but not majors, and dropped his slider post-injury. With a full offseason in the organization—unlike his brief pre-Spring Training integration this year—he aims to unlock his potential as a starter.