The Los Angeles Dodgers have found their closer for the 2025 MLB postseason in rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki. After returning from injury, the Dodgers put Sasaki as a reliever, likely hoping that the Japanese star could help their shaky bullpen.
Nonetheless, Sasaki has done more than become a reliever who can give manager Dave Roberts multiple innings; he’s become the team’s closer.
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Roki Sasaki Is Thriving in High Leverage Situations
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Sasaki had never pitched in the postseason and was going from being a starter to a reliever, but he’s thriving in the closer role through two games in the NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Despite being on the mound in a hostile environment and against a Phillies team that won the NL East, Sasaki has held his own, especially in Game 2 when the Philadelphia was down a run and had runners on. The 23-year-old spoke with the media after Game 2 and shared his thoughts on being a key pitcher out of the bullpen in this series.
“I actually do feel pretty good about being able to throw back-to-back games on my off day,” Sasaki said through his interpreter. “I threw with pretty good intensity and felt pretty good.”
Don’t Expect Roki Sasaki to Be a Full-Time Reliever
Although Sasaki has thrived as a reliever after a rocky start this season and an injury setback, the young pitcher isn’t giving up on his goal of becoming an MLB starter.
“The difficulty of pitching in relief is just the way I’m warming up; it takes a while to warm up,” Sasaki said (h/t Dodgers Nation). “In a playoff format, I’m able to do that because I have the stamina of a starting pitcher.”
While this all might be short-term, this playoff run could be crucial for Sasaki, having the confidence that he can pitch in the big leagues next season when he transitions back to being a starter.