In a 5-4 spring training victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Cleveland Guardians in Goodyear, Arizona, pitcher River Ryan delivered a strong relief performance, striking out three in two innings. Roki Sasaki struggled early but rebounded later, highlighting the ongoing battle for rotation spots. Manager Dave Roberts cautioned that it's too early to draw conclusions.
The Dodgers secured a 5-4 win over the Guardians on Tuesday in Goodyear, Arizona, with the game featuring contrasting outings from two pitchers vying for Opening Day rotation spots.
Roki Sasaki, the hard-throwing right-hander, faced difficulties in the first inning, issuing three walks and two hits—including a grand slam to Cleveland's Kyle Manzardo—while allowing four earned runs on 23 pitches, only eight of which were strikes. His fastball averaged 98 mph, reaching a maximum of 99.3 mph, and he introduced a new cutter that generated four whiffs. Sasaki attributed his command issues to his upper body "leaning forward," but he adjusted by staying more upright in the second inning, retiring six straight hitters over the second and third frames with two strikeouts on his splitter. He landed 13 of 22 pitches for strikes in those innings.
"The results were really bad this time, but my feel and mechanics kind of matched, and also the result matched, finally," Sasaki said through an interpreter. "So I think it’s good."
In relief, River Ryan provided a stark contrast after a previous outing with less than 50 percent strikes. He pitched two dominant innings, striking out three and attacking the zone aggressively.
Manager Dave Roberts emphasized the early stage of spring training. "You want everyone to pitch well. You want everyone to stay healthy," he said. "I think right now, where we're at, I don't think we need to really talk about a competition as far as the rotation. Once we get to the 21st of March, we'll have a better idea once we break camp."
Roberts expects Sasaki to start but noted the need for consistent performance, with Blake Snell and Gavin Stone sidelined for Opening Day. Locked-in starters include Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani, while Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and Ryan compete for remaining spots.
Elsewhere, Evan Phillips advanced his Tommy John recovery with intense throws, aiming for midseason; Brock Stewart threw full bullpens post-shoulder procedure; and Bobby Miller began mound work after shoulder soreness, slated for relief.
