The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached the end of their Cactus League schedule and do so with Roki Sasaki taking the mound for a start against the Cleveland Guardians.
It’s noteworthy in that the outing is Sasaki’s first Cactus League start and third overall game of Spring Training. He arrived with plenty of fanfare but the Dodgers have continue to mention a long-term outlook amid their cautious approach with the right-hander.
While Yoshinobu Yamamoto is penciled in to start on Opening Day, the Dodgers have not yet fully committed to having Sasaki face the Chicago Cubs in the finale of the Tokyo Series.
“I think there’s one thing of being as ready as you can be for his first regular season outing, versus that’s not the end all, be all. To appreciate he’s not a finished product, we’re continuing to build him throughout the season. A handful of starts before Tokyo, and we’ll just see how it goes,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“With Roki, we’re still learning. We really are. As he gets on a routine, a regimen, we’re learning more each day, each week. I do think we’ve got to be able to read and react a little bit with him.”
A “handful” of starts was vague and didn’t end up being met as Sasaki only will have pitched in three games before potentially making his MLB debut.
Sasaki’s first Spring Training game was starting against Chicago White Sox Minor Leaguers in a hybrid ‘B’ game on a backfield at Camelback Ranch. He surrendered a leadoff home run but pitched well over three innings and followed that with an impressive relief appearance last week in his Cactus League debut.
Sasaki’s start on Tuesday could provide a clearer picture of where the Dodgers view his readiness.
Dave Roberts’ expectations for Roki Sasaki’s rookie season
Expectations are high for Sasaki’s rookie season, with executives around the league viewing him as the favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year.
Roberts avoided placing any lofty expectations on Sasaki’s shoulders, noting that stats will reflect his talent if he stays within himself.
“I think we should be able to expect him to fill up the strike zone, go as hard as he can for as long as he can, to learn from each outing, and after that everything else will take care of itself,” Roberts said.
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