Roki Sasaki Has Big Problem to Fix if he Wants to Remain a Dodgers Starter

TL;DR

Roki Sasaki of the Los Angeles Dodgers is struggling with a 6.35 ERA and a 1-2 record in 2026. He faces pressure to improve his performance against the St. Louis Cardinals to retain his spot in the starting rotation.

Key points

Roki Sasaki is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He has a 6.35 ERA and a record of 1-2 in 2026.
Sasaki is considered the team's biggest disappointment this season.
He is set to pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals.
His future as a starter depends on improving his performance.

Los Angeles DodgersSt. Louis CardinalsRoki Sasaki

Mar 3, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) looks on against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki is set to pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, giving him another chance to prove he belongs in the starting rotation.

Thus far in 2026, he’s struggled, putting up a 6.35 ERA and a record of 1-2, leading him to be labeled the team’s biggest disappointment thus far this year, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

So can he salvage his starting job and avoid a return to the bullpen? It might largely depend on improving in one key area.

What’s holding Roki Sasaki back from being a strong starting pitcher?

Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain thinks it’s Sasaki’s fastball that’s costing him on the mound, and that’s a problem considering it’s his most-thrown pitch.

While he’s throwing it with speed — Baseball Savant puts his average fastball velocity of 97.1 mph in the top 12% of pitchers — he can’t always control where it goes.