Dodgers to Move Roki Sasaki to Bullpen This Week

The Los Angeles Dodgers are planning to move pitcher Roki Sasaki to the bullpen this week, manager Dave Roberts announced. Sasaki, who has been sidelined since Aug. 27 with a blister on his pitching hand, is expected to be activated for an upcoming three-game series against the Padres.

This strategic shift comes after the Dodgers initially kept Sasaki in a starting role due to concerns about their rotation depth. However, with key starters like Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, and Tyler Glasnow healthy, the team feels more comfortable utilizing Sasaki in relief. Emmet Sheehan has also emerged as a reliable option, bolstering the rotation's insurance.

Roberts indicated that Sasaki will not be used in a "quasi-starter" role, pitching four or five innings behind an opener. Instead, he is expected to enter games in the late innings, potentially in high-leverage situations. While Roberts clarified that Sasaki would not immediately close games, he acknowledged the possibility of him taking on that role eventually.

Sasaki has pitched in 23 games this season, all as a starter. His transition to the bullpen is reminiscent of his role last year, where he served as the Dodgers' closer by default due to injuries. He recorded three saves in the postseason last year. This move to relief last year followed a 4½-month absence due to shoulder issues, with an agreement that he would return to starting the following season.

This year, Sasaki holds a 5-5 record with a 4.70 ERA. However, in the seven starts after the All-Star break, he was 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA.

The Dodgers had signed Edwin Diaz to a $69 million contract to be their closer this season, but he has struggled with injuries and performance, including two stints on the injured list. Tanner Scott has largely filled the closer role in Diaz's absence, but his ERA has risen to 4.97 over his last 14 appearances. Sasaki's move could provide a much-needed boost to the team's bullpen as they approach the playoffs.