MLB October 17, 2025 0 Comments

Hernández: The Shocking Truth Behind the Dodgers’ Bullpen Turnaround—Roki Sasaki’s Role Exposed

A grin slowly crept onto Dodgers closer Roki Sasaki’s face as he shared a candid glimpse into his mindset while waiting in the bullpen. “Every time,” he admitted, “I’m praying the starter will pitch a complete game.” That quiet moment sparked laughter among the Japanese speakers nearby, lightening the tense postseason atmosphere. This season, the Dodgers’ dominant run has created a vibe so contagious that even the usually reserved Sasaki is throwing jokes around with the press. After their recent 3-1 triumph over the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers now hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series, boasting an impressive 8-1 playoff record. Despite all their success, the lingering question about whether they can secure back-to-back World Series titles stems from concerns about a once-troubled bullpen — a unit that, under manager Dave Roberts’ watchful eye, is finally beginning to gel and show signs of championship mettle. What seemed like wishful thinking at the start of the season now serves as a blueprint for victory, with key relievers like Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen paving the path to Sasaki, whose rocket-fast 100-mph heater and elusive forkball are reshaping the Dodgers’ late-game strategy. It’s a story of transformation, determination, and hope—not just for Sasaki, but for a team poised to redefine postseason dominance. LEARN MORE

A smile started to form on the face of Dodgers closer Roki Sasaki as he described his disposition in the bullpen.

“Every time,” Sasaki said, “I’m praying the starter will pitch a complete game.”

The Japanese speakers in the Dodger Stadium interview room broke into laughter.

The overwhelming performance of the Dodgers in this postseason has created an atmosphere in which even the famously introverted Sasaki feels comfortable joking in front of reporters.

With a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, the Dodgers extended their lead in the National League Championship Series to three games to none.

They improved to 8-1 in these playoffs.

The only reason there’s any doubt whether the Dodgers will repeat as World Series champions is because of their heart-attack-inducing bullpen, and now that group has started taking shape under the guidance of manager Dave Roberts.

What felt like wishful thinking has become an actual road map to victory, with Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen taking down key outs late in the game before giving way to Sasaki, the converted starter with a 100-mph fastball and vanishing forkball.

The organization’s vision came together in Game 3, as the bullpen was entrusted with covering the 3 ⅓ innings that remained after starter Tyler Glasnow’s removal.

With Vesia recording two outs and Treinen taking down two more, Roberts had to find a bridge to Sasaki. He called on Anthony Banda, who pitched just once in the three previous weeks.

Banda pitched a perfect eighth inning against the heart of the Brewers’ order, retiring Brice Turang, William Contreras and Christian Yelich in succession. The night ended with Sasaki becoming the first pitcher to register each of his first three career saves in the postseason.

“The thing about our guys is they’re battle-tested,” Roberts said, “and I’ve never lost faith in them.”

The truth was, he didn’t have a choice.

Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, the team’s two high-priced bullpen additions from the offseason, aren’t on the active roster.

The dynamic forced Roberts to continue riding Vesia, who near the end of the regular season looked as if he could be running out of gas after making a career-high 68 appearances. Roberts also had to continue depending on the 37-year-old Treinen, who last month was described by a rival scout as “finished.”

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Perhaps the most significant wager placed by Roberts and the front office was on Sasaki, who had no previous experience pitching out of the bullpen.

As overpowering as Sasaki was in in closing out the NL wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers couldn’t be certain what they could expect from him.

Their fears were realized in Game 1 of this series. Four days removed from a

Sasaki said he spent the two days between Games 1 and 3 working on slowing down his delivery.

The first pitch he threw on Thursday night was a ball to Andrew Vaughn, but the pitch was clocked at 99.7 mph. He touched 99.8 mph later in the at-bat.

Vaughn was retired on a spectacular defensive play by shortstop Mookie Betts. Sal Frelick popped up. Caleb Durbin struck out.

This being Sasaki’s sixth postseason game, the performance temporarily subsided concerns about the right-hander’s ability to withstand an October workload. Dodger Stadium could resume celebrating him.

In a short time, Sasaki has become one of the team’s most popular players, with chants of “Ro-ki” frequently breaking out while he is on the mound.

He emerges from the bullpen to “Bailalo Rocky,” a song by Yoan Retro and Ariadne Arana. Sasaki revealed the song was pushed on to him by reserve infielder Miguel Rojas, who noticed that “Rocky” said with a Latin American accent sounds similar to Sasaki’s first name.

“From the start of the season, especially at Dodger Stadium, I couldn’t pitch the way I wanted,” Sasaki said. “Since I came back (from the injured list) as a reliever and started performing in a way that better represents who I am, I’ve seen the scenery gradually change. I’m thinking that will lead to something in the future.”

Not only for him but also for the Dodgers.

Considering how thoroughly they have outplayed their opponents in this postseason, how great would the Dodgers be if they had a half-decent bullpen?

With Sasaki closing, and with Treinen and Vesia in front of him, they could be on the verge of finding out.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.