LOS ANGELES – In a candid postgame interview following a hard-fought victory, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki revealed critical adjustments to his splitter and expressed measured relief at finally securing a win, offering a rare glimpse into the mechanical and mental battles behind his latest outing.
Sasaki, who has been under intense scrutiny since his arrival in Major League Baseball, acknowledged the emotional weight of the result. When asked if the win brought a sense of relief, he paused, cleared his throat, and responded with characteristic introspection. “Honestly, I feel good about it,” Sasaki said, his voice steady but weary. “But I was helped by the lineup and the pitchers who threw after me. Today, I was truly helped, and I was able to win.”
The 23-year-old right-hander, known for his blistering fastball and devastating splitter, has faced inconsistency in recent starts. His command issues and a tendency to leave pitches over the plate had led to early exits and mounting pressure. However, in this start, Sasaki showed signs of a tactical evolution, particularly with his signature pitch. He revealed that the adjustment to his splitter was not about altering its drop but about refining its trajectory and velocity.
“It’s not that I changed the amount of drop,” Sasaki explained, his tone analytical. “But I had too many that were slipping out of my hand. I wasn’t throwing a forkball originally either. So I wanted more speed, and I needed the ball to stay on top of the base of the plate. Otherwise, batters won’t swing. I communicated with the coach, and we decided on a direction.”
This technical tweak was born from a week of intensive work. Sasaki detailed that his focus extended beyond just this start, encompassing his previous two outings as well. “The biggest thing isn’t just the fastball,” he said. “It’s about the probability of the pitch staying on top of the base of the plate. That’s a problem of approach for the forkball, not just the home run. Every week I have new discoveries, and I’m organizing them. I’m not just looking at the last start, but the two before that as well. I’m taking a comprehensive approach to improving my home run rate, and this time it worked well.”
The victory was not without its scares. Sasaki surrendered three home runs, a statistic that would typically mar a pitcher’s line. Yet, he refused to view them as failures of selection. “There were scenes where I was hit on pitches I threw well,” he said, shrugging off the damage. “And there were also times where I went after a spot and got hit. The ways I was hit are different, but the pitches I chose and the courses I threw were what I have right now. The only way to deal with this is to improve the quality. There’s no other solution. I have to keep focusing on raising the quality of my fastball and my off-speed pitches.”
The emotional support from his teammates, particularly catcher Will Smith, has been a crucial anchor. Sasaki, who is close in age to Smith, described their relationship as intensely passionate. “He gives me fiery words of encouragement,” Sasaki said, a hint of a smile crossing his face. “There’s a feeling of ‘let’s do this together.’ I’m being pulled along by him, and I’m working hard.”
This camaraderie was evident during the game. After a shaky inning, Sasaki and Smith were seen in animated discussion on the mound, a moment that Sasaki later clarified was about minor corrections. “We were just doing a light review,” he said. “If it’s not usable, that’s fine. We talked about what was good and what wasn’t. For example, in the last inning, my control on the four-seamer wasn’t holding up.”
Despite the home runs, Sasaki’s overall command was markedly improved. He avoided the debilitating walks that had plagued him, a sign that his mechanical adjustments are taking hold. “I didn’t struggle in the strike zone today,” he noted. “That’s progress from a week ago.”
When pressed about whether he could return to the dominant form he displayed in Japan three or four years ago, Sasaki was cautious but resolute. “The content changes from year to year and even day to day,” he said. “In that context, I have to prioritize raising the quality of the pitches I’m throwing. Once I do that, then we can talk about how batters react. First, I have to concentrate on improving my own performance.”
The Dodgers organization has been patient with Sasaki, understanding that his transition from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB is a marathon, not a sprint. His raw talent is undeniable, but the league has exposed the need for adaptability. His willingness to tweak his splitter, a pitch that was already elite, signals a maturity that bodes well for his future.
The victory itself was a team effort. The Dodgers lineup provided early run support, and the bullpen held the lead after Sasaki’s exit. But for Sasaki, the win was a personal milestone, a validation of the hours spent in the video room and on the bullpen mound. “It’s a relief,” he admitted. “But it’s just one win. I have to keep building.”
As the press conference wound down, Sasaki coughed, a sign of the physical toll the season has taken. Yet, his eyes held a flicker of determination. He knows that the scrutiny will not let up. The next start will bring new challenges, new adjustments. But for now, he has a blueprint. The splitter is sharper. The command is tighter. And the win is on the board.
For the Dodgers, this is exactly the kind of incremental progress they need from their young ace. The home runs are a concern, but the underlying metrics suggest improvement. Sasaki is learning to pitch, not just throw. And in a season where every game matters, that evolution could be the difference between a playoff run and an early exit.
The road ahead is long. Sasaki will face lineups that will test his new splitter. He will have to prove that this start was not a fluke but a foundation. But for one night, in the cramped interview room at Dodger Stadium, the weight of expectation seemed a little lighter. The pitcher who arrived with so much hype is beginning to find his footing, one adjusted splitter at a time.
