With just over one week remaining in the regular season, the Los Angeles Dodgers expect to activate Roki Sasaki off the 15-day injured list during their upcoming series against the San Diego Padres.
Manager Dave Roberts indicated on Friday the right-hander would make a start upon returning, but backtracked some the following day and relayed the only known plan for Sasaki is to pitch multiple innings in his first game back.
Sasaki threw 48 pitches over four innings of live batting practice this past Wednesday as seemingly a final checkpoint to test the blister on the middle finger of his right hand.
“Pitched with the Dermabond, which he can use legally in a game. He came out of it well,” Roberts noted earlier in the week. “So we’ve got to huddle up here and figure out what’s his role? The No. 1 thing is he came out of the session well. Now we’ve got to figure out how to plug him in. He’s going to be important. I just don’t know right now in what role.”
Roberts’ comments came just before Blake Snell was forced to leave his start early because of left groin tightness. There is optimism with Snell moving forward, but that unexpected injury — even if it is minor — prompted the Dodgers to settle on keeping Sasaki as a starter for the time being despite previously suggesting a role change was coming.
Of course, the bullpen bath is an equally valid choice if the Dodgers foresee Sasaki being used as a reliever in the postseason.
“That’s the great thing about the question. There’s benefit both ways,” Roberts said. “One could argue it’s best to take down a couple starts, keep him built up because if something does happen, he’s built up. The other side is you can assimilate him to the ‘pen and get comfortable in that role, if that is the role.”
Possible options with Roki Sasaki
Although the Dodgers may ultimately decide to have Sasaki make a start in his return from the injured list, that could be followed by a move into the bullpen.
Last season the Dodgers had Sasaki make two relief appearances during the final week as an audition and preparation for what wound up being his October role.
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