Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- A high-profile pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers has shown dramatic improvement since the start of May.
- His recent outings include better command, higher velocity, and more consistent results against weaker opponents.
- Upcoming starts against stronger teams will test whether this performance signals a true transformation.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers won the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes two winters ago, the assumption was they were adding yet another ace to a rotation already chock full of them. For the most part, that has not been the case: Sure, Sasaki's work out of the bullpen was a huge reason the Dodgers were able to win the 2025 World Series, but he had a 4.72 ERA as a starter last year and posted a 6.35 ERA in his first five starts of the 2026 campaign. The righty struggled so mightily that some wondered whether he was better off moving to the bullpen full-time or getting a demotion to Triple-A.
Sasaki's struggles didn't impact the Dodgers much as they have had a practical superteam around him, but that doesn't mean they could be ignored entirely. Well, now, after Sasaki threw seven scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night, those struggles are vanishing. Might he finally be realizing his lofty potential? There are reasons to argue both yes and no.
Why Roki Sasaki might now be the ace the Dodgers expected him to be
This isn't just a one-start thing with Sasaki now. The right-hander has gone at least five innings and allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last six starts, posting a 2.55 ERA in that span. In fact, since the start of May, Sasaki has a lower ERA than Paul Skenes, a higher strikeout rate (27.3 percent) than Cam Schlittler and has been worth more fWAR (1.1) than Zack Wheeler. An argument can be made that he's been one of the 10 or 15 best starting pitchers in the sport since the start of May, and while a six-start sample is small, it's not nothing.
A big factor in Sasaki's emergence is his improved command. The right-hander issued 13 walks and allowed seven home runs in 22.2 innings covering his first five starts of the season. In the six starts since, he's issued eight walks and allowed three home runs in 35.1 innings. The difference has been night and day.
The argument for Sasaki becoming an ace goes beyond the numbers, though. For starters, his velocity is back up where it was expected to be. After hitting 100 mph as a starter just once in the first 17 starts of his MLB career, Sasaki has done so four times in his last two outings. His average fastball velocity on Friday night was 98.3 mph, 1.1 mph higher than his season average.
Since coming to the US, Roki Sasaki had reached 100 mph in a start just once -- in his MLB debut from Japan.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) June 6, 2026
Over these last 2 starts, he's hit it 4 times.
Tonight, he threw 7 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against the Angels. Since the start of May, he has a 2.55 ERA.
Sasaki is throwing harder and locating better, and the results back that up. It's hard to believe the results won't continue to be there if these trends continue. There is one glaring reason to be pessimistic, though.
Why Roki Sasaki might still have more to prove
Sasaki has been impressive, but it's important to pay attention to the teams he's facing. Sasaki was dominant on Friday night, but he faced an Angels team that is not only among the worst in the sport but has also struck out more than any other. What does Sasaki pitching well against them really mean?
And it's not as if the Angels are the only lackluster offensive team Sasaki has matched up against in this run.
Opponent | Runs Scored (MLB Rank) | Roki Sasaki Statline |
|---|---|---|
at Cardinals | 267 (T-19th) | 6 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K's |
Giants | 268 (T-17th) | 5 IP, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's |
at Angels | 276 (15th) | 7 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K's |
at Brewers | 310 (6th) | 5 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K's |
Phillies | 250 (27th) | 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K's |
Angels | 276 (15th) | 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K's |
The only above-average offense he faced during this stretch was a start in Milwaukee, and while he impressed in that outing, going five innings and allowing three runs (two earned) and a decent amount of traffic on the bases isn't a dominant start by any means.
It obviously isn't Sasaki's fault that he hasn't been matched up against the cream of the crop of the league, but are starts against teams like the Angels and Giants really going to move people? How many times have we seen young starters pitch well against the bad teams only to struggle against the good ones? Sasaki's next couple of starts are projected to come against the Pirates and Rays, two teams with much better lineups than most of the ones Sasaki has faced.
Good outings against those teams might mean that Sasaki has officially turned the corner and is destined for stardom. A step back might mean that while he's certainly improved, he might not be that ace-like starter yet.
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