Roki Sasaki Sets Ambitious Goals After Breakthrough Season with Dodgers

After shedding the label of a reclamation project, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki has set his sights on individual accolades and a consistent role in the postseason. Sasaki expressed his ambition to achieve strong numbers as a starter during the regular season and to win individual awards, such as the Cy Young Award, a goal previously stated by Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

This shift in perspective comes after a transformative year for the 24-year-old. Sasaki concluded the 2026 regular season with a 5-5 record and a 4.49 ERA, but his performance in the latter half of the season showed significant improvement. He started a career-high 23 games, demonstrating enhanced physical durability. Following the All-Star break, Sasaki posted a 2.31 ERA over his first six starts, averaging nearly six innings per outing.

A blister on his pitching hand in late August temporarily halted his progress, but Sasaki indicated he had learned valuable lessons. General manager Brandon Gomes lauded his second half as "incredible," highlighting his development.

Sasaki's improved performance was fueled by the incorporation of a harder variation of his signature forkball and the rediscovery of his fastball velocity, which had declined in his final year in Japan. His average four-seam fastball increased to 97.9 mph from 96.1 mph the previous year. This enhanced fastball also made his slider more effective. Sasaki acknowledged that while his fastball velocity has returned, he aims to further elevate the quality of his breaking pitches.

Looking ahead to the 2027 season, Sasaki expressed his desire to be a starter in the postseason, having spent the previous two postseasons in the bullpen. He believes that consistent strong performances during the regular season should earn him a playoff starting spot. "If I can’t do that, I think it would just mean I’m not good enough," he stated.

The Dodgers' rotation is expected to be strong, even with the potential departure of Tarik Skubal. Shohei Ohtani is slated to return as a two-way player, and the team will retain its other key postseason starters: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.

Sasaki's journey this past season marked a significant departure from his injury-plagued rookie year in 2025, where he posted a 4.72 ERA. He entered spring training with the modest goal of securing a spot in the starting rotation, and at one point, appeared to be struggling. However, his subsequent development has positioned him to pursue loftier ambitions, indicating a newfound confidence and direction for his career.