Roki Sasaki is Handling the Pressure of Being a Closer
In the National League Division Series, Roki Sasaki earned saves in Games 1 and 2, helping the Dodgers continue their quest to win back-to-back MLB titles.
In his current role with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Roki Sasaki is adapting to the pressure of closing games for the reigning World Series champions.
So far, so good.
The Iwate Prefecture native, who's in his first season with the Dodgers, was moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen ― at least for now ― after his return from a minor league rehabilitation assignment in September.
Sasaki has pitched 2⅓ innings this postseason. He's allowed one hit, struck out three batters and walked one in three games (a trio of LA wins).
Pitch after pitch, Sasaki is hitting his target. The 23-year-old right-hander has thrown 24 pitches in the 2025 MLB playoffs, 19 of them for strikes.
He made his most recent appearance as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, October 6.
It was a pressure-packed situation. The Phillies, playing before their home fans at Citizens Bank Park, were threatening to tie or win the game in the ninth inning. Trailing 4-3, they had runners on first and third with two outs.
Sasaki was summoned from the bullpen.
Facing three-time All-Star Trea Turner, Sasaki's first pitch was an 84-mph (135-kph) split-finger fastball for a ball. His second offering was a four-seam fastball that registered 99 mph (159.3 kph) on the radar gun. Turner made contact, hitting a grounder to second for the final out.
The Dodgers won 4-3, with Sasaki earning his second save of the NLDS.
The Dodgers' Roki Sasaki and catcher Will Smith are seen in the ninth inning during Game 2 of the NLDS. (KYODO)
Roki Sasaki Showing Confidence as a Reliever
"I had more time to prepare than the last game, so I was ready," Sasaki said after Game 2, according to Kyodo News.
He added, "I was only thinking about taking on the batter with my best pitches, [and] I had accepted that it couldn't be helped if they got hit."
Speaking at LA's postgame news conference in Philadelphia, Sasaki noted that he recognizes the importance of his current pitching assignment. And he's filling a role for which there was a void despite the team's deep pool of talent.
"The starting pitching is doing an amazing job results-wise," Sasaki told reporters. "And all I'm trying to do is hold the lead or finish a game."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has shown faith in Sasaki, as a closer, to be able to handle the pressure of pitching with the game on the line.
"Obviously, what Roki has done, has continued to show, has been very encouraging on a lot of fronts," Roberts said after Game 2.
Roki Sasaki speaks to reporters after Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Phillies. (KYODO)
Working Effectively and Preparing for Games
In Game 1 of the NLDS, Sasaki pitched a scoreless ninth inning. He gave up one hit and fanned one batter to record his first postseason save. LA defeated Philly 5-3 on Saturday, October 4. Shohei Ohtani was the winning pitcher, yielding six hits and three runs while striking out nine in six innings.
What's helping Sasaki, in addition to his on-mound confidence, is the time he's able to spend preparing for games.
After Monday's game, the former Chiba Lotte Marines starter talked about the break between the series opener two days earlier and that game.
"I actually do feel pretty good about being able to throw back-to-back games," said Sasaki, who was removed from the 60-day injured list (a right shoulder impingement) on September 24. "On my off day, I threw with pretty good intensity and felt pretty good."
The Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds in the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series, closing out the series with an 8-4 victory on October 1. Sasaki pitched the final inning and struck out a pair of batters.
A Look Ahead
With the Dodgers holding a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five NLDS, Game 3 is set for Wednesday night, October 8 (first pitch at 10:08 AM JST on Thursday). For LA, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the scheduled starting pitcher at Dodger Stadium. Aaron Nola was named Philadelphia's starter.