The Los Angeles Dodgers narrowly escaped with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, but concerns over closer Roki Sasaki’s fastball velocity prompted manager Dave Roberts to make a decisive intervention.
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Blake Snell Sets the Tone
Starter Blake Snell delivered a masterful eight-inning performance, allowing one hit, no walks, and striking out 10. Freddie Freeman’s solo home run in the sixth inning and Mookie Betts’ bases-loaded walk in the ninth gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
Sasaki’s Velocity Drops
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Sasaki entered the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead. While he retired the first batter, Caleb Dubin, he walked Isaac Collins and then gave up a double to Jake Bauer. Jackson Churio’s sacrifice fly scored a run, and Christian Yelich drew a walk after a seven-pitch at-bat.
Roberts quickly brought in Blake Treinen, who struck out Brice Turang to preserve the one-run lead. Sasaki was credited with a hold after recording two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hit, two walks, and one run.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported, “Roki Sasaki’s velocity was down last night, which Dave Roberts said the Dodgers were aware of. Called it ‘uncharted territory’ still, and said Sasaki was ‘unlikely’ to pitch today.” Sasaki’s fastball topped out at 99.3 mph, a sharp drop from his usual over-100 mph velocity.
Postseason Usage Raises Questions
Sasaki, a rookie reliever in the postseason, has averaged 1.50 ERA over five appearances. However, consecutive outings have seen his fastball decline from 161.9 km/h in Game 2 of the wild-card series to 157.7 km/h in Game 1 of the NLCS.
With closer Tanner Scott unavailable due to surgery, Sasaki remains the Dodgers’ primary postseason closer. While confident, the team’s cautious handling reflects the delicate balance of preserving his arm while navigating the championship series.