Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) throws during the 1st inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

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Roki Sasaki’s Emotional Dodgers Debut Ends in Tears, But He’s Exactly Where He Needs to Be

Roki Sasaki exited his second start in just the second innings...

Two starts in, and some are already questioning whether the Roki Sasaki free agency pursuit was worth it. That’s sports for you. Is it fair? Not really. But the big leagues have never been a forgiving place.

If hitting a baseball is the hardest thing in sports, then hitters must love when they don’t have to swing at all. Sasaki, through his first two MLB starts, one in Tokyo, the other at Dodger Stadium, has already issued nine walks in just 4.2 innings. The early reviews? Electric stuff, shaky control, and two Dodgers wins.

Really tough seeing Rōki Sasaki emotional after his outing.

He’s 23 years old. Stuff is nasty. He’ll be great in MLB.

pic.twitter.com/5Z0tmhXRSx
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) March 31, 2025

Roki Sasaki’s lack of command was evident from his first pitch Saturday night. He missed the zone by more than a foot on his first two fastballs. Over 61 pitches, he threw just 32 strikes and didn’t make it out of the second inning. He walked four, allowed three hits, and was charged with two runs. His night ended with a 7-3 Dodgers win, but for Sasaki, it ended in disappointment.

Instead of handing the ball to manager Dave Roberts as he exited, Sasaki walked straight off the mound and down the clubhouse stairs. A Japanese broadcast later showed him back on the bench, red-eyed. Sasaki denied he was crying, but the moment was telling, this was something he had never dealt with before, failure.

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In Japan, Sasaki was a phenom. A two-time NPB All-Star, the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game in league history, and a household name since high school. But here, at Dodger Stadium, he proved to be human, just another young rookie pitcher struggling to find his footing, and more importantly, control.

Roki Sasaki’s talent has never been in question. His arm is a gift. But whether he becomes one of the best pitchers in baseball, or even secures a permanent spot in the Dodgers’ rotation, depends on something less tangible. He’s 23, and for the first time, he’s failing.

What happens next? Nobody knows. But one thing that’s certain: Sasaki will make his next start in Philadelphia, not in Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Dodgers don’t need him to be perfect right now. They can afford to be patient. If it takes a few more starts to settle in, so be it. If he needs time in the minors, they have the depth to cover for him.

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The Dodgers have the luxury of patience with Sasaki since they’ve proven they can win without him. They can treat him as a long-term investment rather than an immediate necessity. Roki Sasaki, a kid really, just endured a week-long media spectacle in Tokyo and now finds himself in a completely new league, away from home. He’s potentially dealing with jet lag, a different baseball, and the natural nerves that come with such a massive transition.

He’s still developing and will benefit from the low-pressure environment of a contented Dodgers organization fresh off a World Series victory. I honestly shudder to think how the Bronx crowd might have responded to early struggles.

Dodgers

Roki Sasaki

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.