Roki Sasaki went for the big move instead of the smart one when he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past winter. He joined a loaded pitching staff and was going to have to find a way to be part of the everyday rotation. The Los Angeles Dodgers knew Sasaki was a prospect, yet they tried to rush his readiness.
This season is proof Sasaki should have gone to an organization better equipped to develop him, rather than going to a team that needed him in his final form. The Dodgers added Shohei Ohtani and patiently awaited his Dodgers debut on the mound which happened this year, and they added Yoshinobu Yamamoto to fortify their rotation. Then they added Blake Snell this winter too.
It’s very much at the point where maybe both sides are having regrets and after Sasaki’s continued setbacks in his rehab starts, most recently struggling with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. If he doesn’t get to a decent level ahead of the postseason, the Dodgers may opt to leave him off the postseason roster. If they do, it would be a reminder, both sides got it wrong this winter.
Roki Sasaki should be having regrets for taking the worst of his options this offseason
Sasaki played in eight games before he was sent to the 60-day injured list due to a right shoulder injury. He hasn’t played in three months and now is in the position to once again be forced back before he’s even ready. The Dodgers added a pitcher that could eventually be good, but right now he’s not ready for the pressure of throwing on the bump in Los Angeles.
It’s probably why Sasaki should have landed with a team that would actually be patient with him. He didn’t yield a high pay day, so there were other teams in play that could have afforded him. But he chose the big stage, and it’s clear maybe he wasn’t ready.
If his Dodgers tenure doesn’t work out like both sides would have hoped, it would probably be the one thing he regrets. I’m not saying it’s an instant regret by any means, but again, the Dodgers aren’t in the position to be patient. They could easily flip him into a more ready pitcher if they feel the need. They aren’t going to be interested in keeping him in the minors until he’s ready.
This is a reminder, playing in the big markets isn’t for everybody. For Sasaki, he’s coming to that realization and it could change the trajectory of his MLB career, at least for now.
How should the Los Angeles Dodgers handle their Roki Sasaki problem?
The Dodgers were patient with one of baseball’s most expensive players in Ohtani, but that’s because he’s still one of the best hitters in baseball, they didn’t need him on the mound right away. While they did pay him to be a two-way player, they didn’t need him immediately. All Sasaki does is pitch, it makes the Dodgers less interested in waiting if they don’t have to.
They should see it through for a couple of reasons, however. For one, they don’t urgently need him right now. They have contended for the NL West without him for the majority of the season so they are fine for now. Maybe he’s worth bucking trends.
I think the only time they should really consider moving Sasaki is when their rotation is depleted and they have to turn to him and he still doesn’t live up to the expectations put on him. If he’s ready, it might be worth seeing what he can do in the postseason, but only if he’s ready. If Sasaki is available for the postseason, it will determine if he’s ready to be the next great pitcher in a Dodgers uniform.
After all, that’s why they brought him in. They didn’t bring him in thinking it would be a developing process and maybe that’s where Sasaki differs. If that’s the case, he should have gone to a team that would have been more patient with him. That’s the risk both sides took.