I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future

Oct 10, 2025

I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future
LA Dodgers Rocky roars after striking out Bryson Statt in the 10th inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on the 10th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News



I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future
LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts welcomes Loki after pitching in the 10th inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on the 10th (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News
There is a possibility that Loki Sasaki, who has been playing well in the postseason, will not return to the starting lineup for a long time and remain in the bullpen to take the finishing position.

Sasaki took the mound in the top of the eighth inning when he was 1-1 in Game 4 of the NL Division Series (DS) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on the 10th (Korea time), and pitched a perfect pitching by putting all nine batters to bed in three innings until the 10th inning of overtime. The Dodgers won 2-1 based on Sasaki's good pitching in relief and advanced to the NL Championship Series (CS) with a 3-1 series record.

The best part was Sasaki's bullpen pitching.




Of the 36 pitches, 26 were strikes, and the four-seam fastball speed of 16 pitches was up to 100.7 miles and an average of 99.5 miles. The splitters who threw 18 pitches recorded a swing and miss rate of 42% (5 of 12), and the overall swing and miss rate was 32% (8 of 25).

I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future
LA Dodgers' Rocky applauds as he catches an outcount during the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium on the 10th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News
MLB.com commented, "'This is the first time Sasaki has thrown more than one inning since he turned into a relief pitcher, but it's not completely new in that he was a former starting pitcher.'" The more Sasaki plays as a bullpen pitcher, a position that is still relatively unfamiliar to him, the more he is looking like the way the Dodgers expected him to sign him last offseason."

In the future, Sasaki raised the possibility of protecting the Dodgers' bullpen by finishing without returning to the starting pitcher.




Sasaki selected the Dodgers among the teams that competed fiercely through posting last winter and joined the team for $6.5 million in the Cyning Bonus. However, after being included in the opening rotation, he was sluggish with an ERA of 4.72 in eight games, and was diagnosed with right shoulder collision syndrome and eventually made the injured list (IL). After more than four months of rehabilitation and a minor league appearance, he returned on the 25th of last month and seems to have successfully settled down by changing his position to a bullpen pitcher.

The driving force behind Sasaki's top-notch performance as a bullpen pitcher is that he recovered his fastball speed in the 100-mile range, mixed with his main weapon, splitter, and took away the timing of the batter and increased the swing rate.

I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future
Loki Sasaki pitched in four postseason games and gave up only one hit in five ⅓ innings, allowing no runs. ImagesYonhap News
He gave up only one hit in five ⅓ innings with two saves in four games this postseason, continuing his perfect pitching of five strikeouts with no outs and no runs. Including the two regular-season games, he allowed two hits, no four outs, no nine strikeouts and no runs in seven ⅓ innings in six games.




Sasaki's change of position is becoming a `God's move' for the Dodgers, whose bullpen has been unstable all season.

Tanner Scott, who was brought in last winter for four years and $72 million, and Blake Trinen, who re-signed for two years and $22 million, have consistently pitched the worst this seasonJuss was humiliated with 27 blon saves and 33 relief defeats.

In fact, no one expected Sasaki to appear as a bullpen ace like this. It is no exaggeration to say that Sasaki finished when he needed to, raising the team to the NLCS.

Starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow said "Sasaki, who has turned into a bullpen since returning, is honestly the best pitcher I've ever seen. The ball is incredible and plays with the strike zone. Considering his pitching at the beginning of the season, I think it might be the craziest transformation I've ever seen."

I didn't even imagine it two weeks ago Shocked LAD Rediscovers Sasaki's Possible Stuck Finishing in the Future
LA Dodgers' Roki Sasaki applauds as third baseman Kike Hernandez catches Max Kepler's fly in the top of the ninth inning. ImagesYonhap News
Fielder Quique Hernandez "I don't know how much I can talk about him. Two weeks ago, I wasn't sure if he would be here, but he's finishing the game here now. I shut out three innings today and didn't let any runners out"There were expectations he had at the start of the season, but it took a while. But now it's worth it. I've come up on a solid road" he evaluated.

Manager Dave Roberts said, `We're talking about the best performance the bullpen has ever had, as far as I can remember. I'm seeing something really special through Sasaki. This is why there was a fierce scouting war against him last offseason. He raved, "I'm doing my best on the biggest stage, and it's just the beginning."

Sasaki himself is full of confidence.

He threw "with very good tension. It's not about the strike zone feeling, it's about the technical elements I can trust. I think that belief helps you concentrate and stay calm so that you can throw well.'





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.