Roki Sasaki gives up three homers in three innings

Ohtani has been granted a reprieve from facing the Athletics in the certifiable hitter’s paradise that is Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento during Wednesday afternoon’s series finale. It’ll be a bullpen game for the Dodgers instead. The 31-year-old generational talent will take the ball instead on Friday against the division-rival Padres back in Los Angeles after Roki Sasaki works the series opener on Thursday evening.

Sasaki allowed just three hard-hit balls tonight, but he walked five, and one of the hard-hit balls was a three-run homer from Ty France in the second. It was the fourth homer Sasaki has allowed in three starts, so even though his K/BB is getting better, his ERA has jumped from 4.03 three weeks ago to 4.88 now. There’s still hope that things will eventually come together here, especially with Sasaki’s velocity creeping up, but there’s not much reason to use him in the short term. He’ll likely face the Padres again next weekend.

Sasaki gave up a pair of homers in what was a solid — if unspectacular — effort from the 24-year-old. He struck out six against one walk, and he gave up just two other hits outside of the roundtrippers. It’s a big improvement from his scuffles against the White Sox in his previous effort, but fantasy managers — and fantasy writers — just can’t be sure what Sasaki is at this stage of his career. He’ll try and show similar stuff while hoping to keep the ball in the park next weekend against the Padres in San Diego.

Sasaki retired the first two batters he faced in the game, but gave up a solo homer to Andrew Benintendi in the third at-bat of the game before retiring Colson Montgomery to end the inning. Sasaki briefly settled after allowing that first-inning homer, but the White Sox jumped all over him in the fifth inning. He faced only seven batters in the frame but allowed six of those hitters to reach base before being pulled for Blake Treinen, but Treinen would allow two inherited runners to score before eventually getting out of the inning. Sasaki entered the day allowing just four earned runs in his previous 19.1 innings pitched and hadn’t allowed more than four hits in any start over that span. He draws another tough start on Wednesday when the Dodgers play host to the Rays.

Sasaki finally had his best stuff on display on Friday, holding the Angels scoreless over seven innings. He allowed just two hits and two walks while generating an impressive 17 whiffs to collect 10 strikeouts. It was by far the best regular-season start of Sasaki’s career. The 24-year-old right-hander seems to be putting things together, rewarding the Dodgers’ faith in him with a 1.48 ERA over his last four starts. Sasaki will take a 4.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 60/21 K/BB ratio across 58 innings into a start against the White Sox in Chicago next Friday.

Sasaki averaged 98.5 mph with his fastball and topped out at 100.4 mph in perhaps his most impressive MLB start to date. He walked only one and gave up three hits, one of which was a solo homer from Alec Bohm. Sasaki ends May with a 3.18 ERA and a 28/6 K/BB in 28 1/3 innings over five starts. He wouldn’t be the worst option in mixed leagues with a start at home against the Angels next week.

All of the runs came in the first, which was prolonged by Sasaki’s own error. He threw 35 pitches in that inning, but no more than 14 in any of his subsequent four frames. It’s another little step forward for Sasaki, who moved to 3-3 with a 4.93 ERA. We still wouldn’t want him active in mixed leagues, but at least that seems like a realistic possibility now. He’ll get the Phillies next weekend.

Sasaki walked none and needed just 91 pitches to get 21 outs in his longest and probably his best major league start to date. He produced 18 whiffs and finished with a 34 percent CSW. It’s probably best not to make too much of one outing, but it was the kind of showing that suggests he’s turned a corner and potentially should be back on mixed-league radars. He’ll face the Brewers next.

Three runs in five innings seems to be the Sasaki standard. If the Dodgers were hitting like they did last year, that’d be good enough to get him some wins. Right now, though, he’s 1-3 and the Dodgers are 2-5 when he pitches. He might be Triple-A bound when Tyler Glasnow returns, but he’s due to get another start Sunday against the Angels before that happens.

Brock Stewart went back on the IL with a foot injury as the corresponding move. Snell, who was on the IL with shoulder fatigue, will make his season debut tonight against the Braves. He’s bumping Roki Sasaki, but Sasaki is still going to start Monday against the Giants with Tyler Glasnow landing on the IL.