Highlights from Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki’s first month in MLB! | 佐々木朗希ハイライト
And the Japan and Dodger connection continues starting with Hideo Nommo 1995. Otani Yamamoto now Sasaki the 13th Japaneseborn Dodger making his major league debut and 100 again fly to left field. There’s Michael Conforto for the first out and an exhale from Sasaki. He’s been dreaming of this day for a long time. 23 years old at Riku Zen Takata. It’s a small fishing village on Japan’s northeast coast. Watching closely today, having a viewing party there. He’s got an official fan club back in Takata. Got him swinging. The first strike out of Roki Sasaki’s major league career is of Seya Suzuki. And a nice feather in his cap right there getting his countrymen. I mean, as hard as he throws as a hitter, you’re going to have to get him down in the zone. This thing up just not going to catch up to it. Especially when you’re throwing 100 miles an hour. That one’s turned around, but got under it. And in center field, Andy Pahz will make this a one, two, three debut inning for Sasaki. Shaw to short, caught by Rojos. Bang to short. It’s caught by Rohos. It’s a double play and it ends the inning. Zelosaki with some help from his shorts stop pitch around the pair of free passes. Bounces this one off the end of the bat to first and an easy play for Kik Hernandez. He strikes him out with the fast ball. Two out. I mean, I’ll say it again. Just as easy as he gets himself in trouble, he he can get himself out. That’s that’s how good his stuff is. You know, it becomes one of those things, too, is he’s just got to believe that he’s that good. Base is loaded. Two away. One, two. He got him swinging. Backto back Ks to limit the damage. Roki Sasaki moments away from making his Dodger Stadium debut. His numbers last year with the Chibalote Marines in NPB. Made his debut in the Tokyo series against the Cubs. Suzaki will try again. Got him. Swinging high heat. All right, so that’s strikeout number one. Two balls, two strikes. The count of McKinstry called. Strike three. This one’s a fast ball. Maybe makes it back to the plate, but definitely gets the call. Here comes Dave Roberts. After 61 pitches, an inning in 2/3 Sasaki getting a visit from his manager and handing him the ball. Just one and two/3 for Sasaki against the Tigers last Saturday. He did 41 pitches in the first inning. He gets Harper swinging. So he strikes out Bryce Harper for the first out, but the stuff was eyepopping. Strikes out Marsh to open this third. So outside of Bryce Harper, who had offered it a couple of split fingers. Marsh really the first guy. He went after three of them in that bat. Now Schwarber can’t lay off and now he’s showing a little something. Back-to-back Ks to open the third. All right, we’ve seen seven pitches this inning. Every one of them a strike. Got him to chase. He strikes out Castillianos. His fourth of the game. Couple two strike base runners for the Phillies. And that is going to do it for Sasaki. A batter earlier than we surmised. The left-handed batting Marsh coming up. Sasaki’s best outing in the big leagues. It’ll be up to the bullpen to try and keep the line right there. Rookie Sasaki described the week going into the Philly start as an anxious one. He really badly wanted to settle in and do something to feel good about his time in the big leagues. And he came out of it saying it was a confidence boost pitching into the fifth inning for the first time and giving up just one run. Oh, nasty. Hammers this ball in the air to center field. Pah to the track to the wall. He makes the grab. Andy Pahz robbery against the wall when Sasaki needed it most. looking for that putaway pitch. He’s got it with the splitter for his second K and then finishes him off as the slider dances in there. Another two two- two pitch from Sasaki and a fly ball to left field. Conforto’s got it spotted and Roki Sasaki for the first time in his major league career is through five. The 23-year-old phenom from Japan, Roki Sasaki, who struggled in his first two games, but his last two against good lineups, a run over four innings in Philadelphia, and then a run over five innings against what has been the top offense in baseball this year in the Cubs. Here comes the payoff. Got him swinging, went to the slider, which he’s bringing along. Chases strike three. Splitter gets him. fast ball elevated to get him. Third for Sasaki. And as he navigates this, he’ll realize his fast ball can still be a weapon. I understand a lot of the hits he’s given up so far this year have been on the fast ball, but you cannot let that affect you and abandon that pitch. One ball, two strikes on the rookie Dustin Harris. Got him to chase a splitter. And Sasaki with his fourth K. Tonight’s starter for the Dodgers, Oral Hersheiser, would be rookie Sasaki. Well, he has been fantastic. his last outing. Did he go? Yes, he did. First strike out of the game for Sasaki. Strike three. So, after missing the zone with his first offering, he gets Valdez after the next three pitches. There it is. That was filthy. And he made a perfect adjustment. Swing and a miss. And he got him with the splitter. Each strikeout that he’s had tonight has come on that same pitch.
Roki Sasaki’s March/April 2025 highlights for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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