MLB NOTES | Tomoyuki Sugano Earns 10th Win with the Orioles

Tomoyuki Sugano collected the 10th win of his MLB rookie season on Thursday, August 14.

Pitching against the Seattle Mariners, the 35-year-old Baltimore Orioles right-hander held the visitors to three hits and a run in 5⅓ innings.

Sugano (10-5) struck out two and walked one in Baltimore's 5-3 victory. The Kanagawa Prefecture native won his second consecutive start, earning back-to-back victories for the first time in an O's uniform.

"I managed to use all my pitches effectively and throw as I planned for the game," Sugano said, according to Kyodo News. 

A 136-game winner for NPB's Yomiuri Giants from 2013-24, Sugano has pitched effectively of late for Baltimore. He's won three of his last four starts to reach double digits in victories.

"It's just a stepping stone, but I'm honestly happy," Sugano, who signed a one-year contract with Baltimore in December 2024, was quoted as saying by NHK. "To be honest, I don't feel a strong sense of accomplishment, and there have been many times when I won despite not having a great performance."

He added, "However, in the past few games, I've been able to deliver a performance that I'm satisfied with, and that's what makes me happiest."

In 2025, Sugano has made 23 regular-season starts ― and currently owns a 4.17 ERA. Start after start, he's displayed poise on the mound for the Orioles while exhibiting a strong command of his pitches. He's walked 32 batters and fanned 82 in 126⅓ innings.

Thursday's game featured a 2-hour, 18-minute rain delay in the sixth inning. After throwing 81 pitches, Sugano didn't return to the mound after the rain delay.

Sasaki Makes 1st Minor League Rehab Start

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki began his minor league rehabilitation assignment on Thursday, August 14.

Sasaki allowed six hits and three runs in two-plus innings for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets against the visiting Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado Rockies). The Isotopes won 8-5 at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

Of Sasaki's 41 pitches, 25 were strikes. He walked one batter and debuted his two-seam fastball in a game.

It was his first appearance in a game since he started for the Dodgers on May 9.

Sasaki had mixed views about his pitching performance.

"First of all, I'm glad I was able to pitch without any health concerns," Sasaki said after the game, according to NHK. "At first, I entered the game feeling a little floaty and ended up holding back, so I want to reflect on that. I want to bring more overall dynamism to my pitching."

On May 13, Sasaki was placed on the injured list due to a right shoulder impingement. The Dodgers moved him to the 60-day IL on June 20.

Now, looking ahead to the final weeks of the MLB regular season, which ends on September 28, Sasaki said he wants to make contributions for the Dodgers.

"I'm confident things are going well in terms of my health," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "The question is whether I can raise my level of performance."

MLB Struggles: An Update on Cubs Slugger Suzuki

Chicago Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki has MLB career-high totals in home runs (27) and RBIs (85) this season, as of August 14.

But over the past 30 days, Suzuki's productivity on offense has noticeably dropped off. In that span, he's 14-for-77 with just two homers and eight RBIs, while batting .182 with 21 strikeouts.

Heading into the weekend of August 15-17, the Cubs (68-52) are in second place in the National League Central. The Cubs play host to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field this weekend.

RELATED:

• JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | Roki Sasaki is Pitching 'Pain-Free' as He Prepares for Return
• Nationals Pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara Makes MLB Debut
• SPORTS SHORTS | MLB Stars Ohtani and Suzuki Wielding Powerful Bats
• Tomoyuki Sugano Begins Preparations for the 2025 MLB Season

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.