How Dodgers' Roki Sasaki looked in his first Cactus League start - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

by Anthony Solorzano, Jack Vita

February 25, 2026

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In his first Cactus League start with the Los Angeles Dodgers, right-hander Roki Sasaki struggled to find consistency, giving up three runs on three hits and two walks while recording three strikeouts. Despite showcasing a fastball that reached 98.6 miles per hour, Sasaki failed to maintain command, with only 17 of his 36 pitches resulting in strikes. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Sasaki seemed to overthrow, particularly in the first inning, which led to difficulties controlling the game. However, in the second inning, Sasaki showed improvement by mixing pitches better and demonstrating better command. Sasaki’s outing was marked by early struggles, including a hard-hit single by Geraldo Perdomo and walks to Tim Tawa and Aramis Garcia. These mistakes allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks to score three runs in the first two innings. After a mound visit from pitching coach Mark Prior, Sasaki managed to strike out Jordan Lawlar and Ryan Waldschmidt to end the inning. In the second inning, he struck out Druw Jones but walked Garcia, leading to his removal. Sasaki’s performance was particularly notable because he is aiming to establish himself as a mainstay in the Dodgers’ starting rotation rather than just a high-leverage relief option

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Originally published on Los Angeles Times on 2/25/2026