Coming soon! Pain bullpen pitching Sasaki completes ML return roadmap He must be a starter

Aug 06, 2025

Coming soon! Pain bullpen pitching Sasaki completes ML return roadmap He must be a starter
LA Dodgers Rocky is undergoing full-fledged rehabilitation pitching, and plans to move to the minor leagues and start the game after this weekend's live pitching. AP Yonhap News



Coming soon! Pain bullpen pitching Sasaki completes ML return roadmap He must be a starter
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is messing with Rocky Sasaki by putting a hoodie hat on him. AP Yonhap News
Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese pitcher Loki Sasaki is speeding up his rehabilitation with the goal of returning within this month.

Sasaki threw a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium on the 6th (Korea time). After playing live pitching against batters twice through simulated games, he pitched nearly as hard as he could on the day.

Sasaki's next rehabilitation process, which went on the injured list (IL) due to right shoulder impingement on May 14, is three innings of live pitching. If there is nothing wrong with it, the plan is to take the mound for minor league rehabilitation.




After the bullpen pitching, Sasaki said in an interview with local media that `I threw a little stronger today and I feel good. There was no pain at all"Now all you have to do is throw the batters like it's a real game. I will maintain my physical condition by looking at it. We need to be in a steady state" he said.

Coming soon! Pain bullpen pitching Sasaki completes ML return roadmap He must be a starter
Loki Sasaki threw a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium on the 6th (Korea time). Photo = LA Dodgers Club X Account
Sasaki will set up a batter at Dodger Stadium on the 9th and throw three innings with live pitching before moving to the minor leagues to raise his sense of practice. The Dodgers will see Sasaki as the starting pitcher and increase the innings, but it is unclear whether the body will follow.

The Dodgers are currently running a six-man rotation. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, who recently returned from the IL, are throwing healthy, and Shohei Ohtani is also gradually increasing his pitching innings. Existing Yamamoto Yoshinobu, Clayton Kershaw, and Emmett Sheehan are also stably working on the rotation.




In the end, if Sasaki fails to take the starting position, he has no choice but to accept the bullpen position.

In response, manager Dave Roberts said "In this situation, our goal is to allow him to throw five or six innings. We see him as a starting pitcher, but we are also thinking of using him in the bullpen. We keep 13 pitchers at their best. I'm considering a lot of options for the postseason roster, and I need to go with 13 best features. It would be great if Sasaki was included in it. If not, you can't do it" he said.

If Sasaki signs that it is okay to throw as a starter, it is highly likely that the deadline will be excluded from the rotation. However, in the match against the St. Louis Cardinals on the day, Sheehan won her third victory of the season by allowing four hits and two runs (non-earned) in five innings.




Coming soon! Pain bullpen pitching Sasaki completes ML return roadmap He must be a starter
Sako Rocky Bubblehead. AP Yonhap News
Sasaki started eight games before the injury and pitched 34 ⅓ innings, marking a 1-1 record, 4.72 ERA, 24 strikeouts, WHIP 1.49, and a 0.225 hit rate. It was not the performance that the Dodgers, who beat Sasaki through fierce competition last winter, expected.

The fastball speed was difficult to get over 100 miles, and the main weapon, the splitter, did not work. The ball control was equally disturbing. In the end, it was decided that it took time to adapt to the new league and that his body was not in good condition, and he entered the break when shoulder pain came.

Sasaki said, `Major League hitters have different styles than Japanese hitters. I approached it like I did in Japan, but it didn't work" he vented.

He came to the U.S. and installed a two-seam fastball against a right-handed hitter, and used it with a splitter and slider while having an effect on inducing ground balls. However, it is true that the overall difficulty was due to the lack of pitching speed.

But now I have lessened my fear of pain. Sasaki said "I'm not in 100% physical condition right now, but my rehabilitation is progressing as targeted."My goal is to go back to the Major League mound and throw it. You have to make good use of the opportunity. I also know well that opportunities are not just given."





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.