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The Los Angeles Dodgers are committed to Roki Sasaki as a long-term starting pitcher despite his recent struggles. Dodgers president Andrew Friedman emphasizes their belief in Sasaki's potential to become an elite player.
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki had another middling start against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, but the Dodgersā plans for the starter lie far beyond just his results in 2026.
The Dodgers have taken a clear stance on Sasaki, and are insistent on keeping him in the rotation, no matter how much he struggles.
āWe definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher,ā Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said to The Athletic. āWe are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game.ā
Sasaki is yet to reach the heights the Dodgers expect him to ascend to in the majors, though, posting subpar numbers during his 15 starts in MLB. He posted a 4.72 ERA through eight starts in 2025, and has returned to that form in 2026 with a 5.88 ERA through his first seven appearances this year.
The Dodgers, though, see this as part of the process Sasaki needs to undergo in order to become the pitcher they want him to be down the line.
The Dodgers plan to keep Roki Sasaki in their rotation as they believe he has the potential to become an elite starting pitcher.
Roki Sasaki has had a middling performance in 2026, struggling in his starts against teams like the San Francisco Giants.
Andrew Friedman stated that the Dodgers are firm believers in Sasaki's ability and upside to be an elite starting pitcher.
The Dodgers are focused on long-term growth and development for Sasaki, prioritizing his potential over immediate results.
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āI 100 percent appreciate and get that right now, fans donāt care at all about three years from now or five years from now,ā Friedman said. āBut when we get there, they definitely will. So itās incumbent upon us to do everything we can to maximize the now, while also doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position in the future, as well.ā
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
While most of Sasakiās outings result in a middle-inning collapse, the first two innings of all of his outings have gone rather smoothly. He has allowed just two runs through the first two innings across his seven starts, none of which have come in the first.
The damage tends to come later for Sasaki, who has just three pitches in his arsenal: a fastball, forkball and newly developed slider. With such a limited pitch selection, batters during the second or third time through the lineup are more privy to what they may see from the young right-hander, and capitalize on any mistake they see during their at-bat.
Sasakiās one-to-two inning dominance explains his success as a reliever during the 2025 postseason, when he became a fan favorite and a trusted arm out of the Dodgersā bullpen. He made nine appearances in the postseason for the Dodgers, allowing a single run through 10.2 innings and converting all three of his save opportunities.
If Sasaki can find a way to translate his success in relief to his starting roleāand perhaps expand his arsenal while heās at itāhe has the stuff to pitch with the best in MLB.
Do you think Roki Sasaki can still develop to become elite? How should he go about doing that?