Star Rookie Roki Sasaki’s Sudden Injury Sends Shockwaves Through Dodgers’ Season Outlook
Manager Dave Roberts wasn’t sugarcoating it when he mentioned they’re still trying to distinguish between what’s a typical “this is how it feels” soreness and when things cross into concerning territory. It’s a delicate balance — they want Sasaki firing on all cylinders but without pushing him too hard too soon.
Since joining the Dodgers from the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball, this 23-year-old phenom has shown flashes of brilliance — a 1-1 record, a 4.72 ERA, and a respectable 24 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .225 batting average. Yet, it’s been a roller coaster. His fastball, once regularly touching triple digits back in Japan, has dipped into the mid-90s since his impressive big-league debut against the Cubs in Tokyo, where 99 mph fastballs were the norm rather than the exception.
Post Comment