Sasaki’s home debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers ended in two innings on Saturday night, after a promoted right-hander struggled to control him again.
Sasaki issued four walks while throwing 61 pitches to just 12 batters before manager Dave Roberts pulled him with two outs and two Detroit Tigers on base.
Sasaki fell quickly repeatedly behind his batter, allowing two runs and three singles. He threw just 32 strikes in his second major league start, making his first at Dodger Stadium, defending World Series champions.
Sasaki made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo last week. There, he walked five Cubs in three innings, allowing one hit and one run.
Before Saturday’s match, Roberts said he was hoping for a “better performance than Sasaki had in Tokyo.”
“I think there are still some nerves,” added Roberts. “Of course… But I just think he’ll get out there and give him a chance to win.”
It’s too early for the Dodgers to be seriously worried about Sasaki, but the 23-year-old prospect has been touted as Japan’s most impressive young pitcher in a few years.
Sasaki threw 25 strikes on 56 pitches in Tokyo. These issues had not been improved in the Dodgers’ second start, encouraged by Sasaki’s sidework week after the club returned from Japan.
“I think it was a nerve combo. He didn’t feel his split that particular night,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if I’ll be at Tokyo Dome for my new baseball game. I don’t really know.”
Not everything was poor against Sasaki’s Tigers. Sasaki blew a 97-mile fastball past Riley Green for one of his two strikeouts.
Detroit scored both runs in Sasaki’s first innings of 41 pitch, but Zack McKinstley’s leadoff single was the only hard hit ball allowed at Sasaki. Manuel Margot won the RBI single credits on a 30-foot squib, while Trey Sweeney painted a 10-pitch walk with bass loaded.
Jack Dreyer traded Sasaki, breaking out of two inning jams and hitting Kelly Carpenter on four pitches. Los Angeles tied it in the lower half of two seconds with Michael Comfort’s RBI double and removed Sasaki from the decision.
Sasaki has time to tackle his problems. Because the Dodgers have enough days to maintain a relaxed resting schedule in April.
The club doesn’t have a solid schedule for Shohei ohtani to join the rotation, but the NL MVP may throw a bullpen session on Saturday and return to the mound in May. When Otani returns, the Dodgers will probably go for a six-man rotation.
Report by the Associated Press.
Want to deliver great stories in your inbox? Create or log in to your Fox Sports account, follow the leagues, teams and players, and receive a personalized newsletter every day.
Get more from Major League Baseball Get information about games, news and more according to your favorites
