The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2025 season has been marked by injury woes across their pitching staff, and Roki Sasaki’s situation perfectly encapsulates both hope and uncertainty.
The young Japanese phenom, signed amid huge offseason hype after a dominant career in Nippon Professional Baseball, remains sidelined with a shoulder impingement—an injury that has stalled his progression and left Dodgers fans waiting patiently for a true glimpse of his potential.
Sasaki’s 2024 campaign was far from the dominant force Dodgers envisioned. In eight starts, the 23-year-old right-hander posted a 4.72 ERA with 24 strikeouts but also 22 walks over 34.1 innings. His velocity dipped compared to his NPB days, when he owned a career 2.10 ERA and was considered one of Japan’s elite arms.
The shoulder injury that sidelined him in May was the same ailment that had hampered him in Japan, contributing to his diminished effectiveness early this season.
Los Angeles Dodgers Get Sobering Roki Sasaki Injury Update
Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior recently provided a sobering update. While Sasaki is now pain-free, he remains in the early stages of his recovery, limited to light throwing with no ramp-up in intensity. “There’s not a lot to report,” Prior said. “He’s been throwing, still just light catch… He hasn’t gotten to the point where he can put enough intensity to push forward in his progression. It’s just a light catch, just exercising in his throw and not necessarily pushing the throw.”
That cautious approach reflects the Dodgers’ commitment to protecting their prized young arm rather than rushing him back amid an already depleted staff. The rotation is being held together by veterans like Clayton Kershaw and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, along with other youngsters such as Dustin May and Ben Casparius, but the hope remains that Sasaki will regain full health and form.
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This measured pace comes with a major caveat: the timeline for Sasaki’s return has shifted from an optimistic late June comeback to an indefinite wait. While the Dodgers sit atop the NL West despite their injuries, Sasaki’s absence underscores the fragility of their pitching depth.
Ultimately, the silver lining is that Sasaki is pain-free and progressing, however slowly, toward recovery. If he can reclaim the velocity and command that made him a sensation in Japan, the early-season struggles and missed starts may be a distant memory. Until then, the Dodgers remain cautious, balancing the promise of a superstar arm with the reality of a significant injury hurdle.