Roki Sasaki's first outing of the 2026 spring training season with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a bit of a rollercoaster. The young pitcher struggled, allowing three runs over just 1.1 innings. His 36-pitch performance included three strikeouts, but he also surrendered five hits and issued two walks.
The game got off to a rocky start for Sasaki, with the first two batters reaching base. A stellar play by Hyeseong Kim in center field momentarily stemmed the tide, but Nolan Arenado's double soon put the first run on the board. Ildemaro Vargas followed up with a double of his own, bringing in two more runs.
Sasaki managed to finish the first inning without further damage, but his day ended early in the second inning after a strikeout and a walk. Payton Martin came in to relieve him and closed out the inning.
While Sasaki shone as a reliever in the 2025 postseason, starting games has been a different story. His 4.72 ERA over eight starts last year, with his last start in May, highlights the challenges he's faced. At 24, Sasaki has time on his side and will be skipping the 2026 World Baseball Classic to focus on his health, especially after last season's shoulder issues.
As for his place in the Dodgers' 2026 starting rotation, the competition is fierce. With Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto expected to secure spots, and Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell waiting in the wings, the final rotation slots are wide open.
Sasaki is in the mix with Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, and Gavin Stone, all vying for those coveted positions. Stone, in particular, impressed in his recent outing and has already shown his potential at the MLB level back in 2024.
For Sasaki, the path to securing a starting role involves proving himself in the coming games. He'll need to build on his strengths and learn from this early setback to solidify his place in the Dodgers' plans for the season.