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Roki Sasaki’s struggles from his first Cactus League start carried over into Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.
The Dodgers right-hander gave up three walks and two hits, including a grand slam to Guardians slugger Kyle Manzardo, before he was lifted after 23 pitches. He displayed no command, missing arm side repeatedly and throwing only eight strikes. None of the five batters he faced in the first inning saw a first-pitch strike.
But then, he flashed the tantalizing potential that the Dodgers saw when they signed him before last season.
Re-inserted into the game to start the second inning, which is allowed in spring training, the 24-year-old settled down and retired all six batters he faced in his last two innings of work while throwing 22 pitches — 13 for strikes — in the Dodgers' 5-4 win.
Working in a healthy mix of fastballs, cutters and splitters, Sasaki struck out two and was able to limit hard contact, which had been an issue for him in the first inning and in his first start last week against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The home run by Manzardo recorded an exit velocity of 104.6 mph.
"I wasn't overly concerned," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But it was good to see him bounce back."
Sasaki said through an interpreter after he was lifted from the game that something felt off about his upper-body mechanics. He made a simple adjustment and found success in it.
“It was actually my upper body,” Sasaki said. “My lower half actually felt pretty good. My upper body felt a little off, so I was trying to make an adjustment.”
Said Roberts when asked about Sasaki missing arm side: "Maybe he's trying to be a little too fine and/or just a little bit out of sync with the delivery. That's why you have spring training, you work though it, you've got to be able to make in-game adjustments. As he gets more experienced, you would expect that to happen in the inning rather than sit for 20 minutes, come in and reset."
Gavin Stone has shoulder inflammation
Roberts said before Tuesday's game that right-hander Gavin Stone received a scan, which revealed shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old pitcher, who struck out two in a perfect inning of work in his first Cactus League start last week, will stop all throwing activities for two weeks and be re-evaluated.
“I think we dodged a bullet," Roberts said. "We feel good about it.”
Stone is working his way back from a right shoulder surgery that he underwent in October 2024, which caused him to miss all of last season.
But with him and left-hander Blake Snell sidelined, that opens some spots in the starting rotation — which presents an opportunity for the likes of Emmet Sheehan, who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, and River Ryan, who looked sharp in two scoreless innings of work Tuesday. Ryan recorded three strikeouts against the Guardians.
Tommy Edman taking batting practice, Kiké Hernández progressing
Roberts revealed Tuesday that utilityman Tommy Edman has started taking batting practice, as he recovers from ankle surgery. He will likely open the season on IL.
“I think he has [taken batting practice] in a cage,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’s been on the field yet, but he’s swinging from both sides, he’s running, playing catch, and all of that stuff. So, he’s progressing nicely. Still, obviously a ways away from playing in a game, but it’s been really good to see his kind of progression.”
Roberts says that utilityman Kiké Hernández, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his left elbow, is also trending in the right direction.
“He is [making progress],” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to be with us for a few more days, and then he’s going to join Team Puerto Rico down there, but from what I hear every day he’s progressed really well. I’ve seen him running around and doing some movements, but yeah, I don’t know what his progression is with the hitting, but from what I’ve heard, it’s getting better each day.”
Hernández will not participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Kyle Tucker goes home to be with family
Noticeably absent from the Dodgers’ lineup and clubhouse this week is Kyle Tucker. Roberts explained that Tucker has returned to his offseason home as his wife is close to giving birth to the couple’s first son.
“He went home,” Roberts said. “He and his wife are expecting, and so hopefully we have some news here soon, and then once he does, he’ll be back.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.