The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki on the 15-day injured list due to a shoulder impingement, the club announced. In a corresponding move, reliever J.P. Feyereisen has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill the vacant roster spot.
Manager Dave Roberts revealed earlier this evening that Sasaki experienced arm discomfort following his most recent outing on Friday. The 23-year-old struggled in that start against the Diamondbacks, allowing five runs on five hits and two walks over four innings. He failed to record a strikeout and generated just four swinging strikes. Through his first eight MLB starts, Sasaki owns a 4.72 ERA, with a concerning 15.6% strikeout rate and an elevated 14.3% walk rate.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki Struggled Before Injury
Sasaki’s early MLB performance has fallen short of expectations, particularly considering the high hopes that followed his dominant tenure in Japan’s NPB. Over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki posted a stellar 2.10 ERA and nearly a 33% strikeout rate. Despite his rough stateside debut, he remains one of baseball’s most gifted young pitchers.
Among 133 MLB pitchers who have logged at least 30 innings this season, only San Diego’s Randy Vásquez owns a worse strikeout-to-walk rate differential than Sasaki. It’s not the start Sasaki envisioned for his major league career, though his potential remains evident.
Injuries have been the primary concern with Sasaki dating back to his time in Japan. He never surpassed 130 innings in any NPB season and was limited to 18 starts and 111 innings last year. In addition to an oblique tear, reports suggested Sasaki also dealt with shoulder fatigue earlier in 2024. The Dodgers have not yet offered a timeline for his return.
Meanwhile, Roberts confirmed that veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw will rejoin the rotation on Saturday. He’ll slot into a starting five that also includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Landon Knack. Sasaki had been scheduled to pitch Thursday, but May could step in on regular rest following the team’s off day. Gonsolin would also be on four days’ rest for Friday’s game, just ahead of Kershaw’s anticipated activation.