Dodgers shocked by Roki Sasaki’s sudden U-turn ahead of postseason three-peat push

Roki Sasaki has made an unexpected change to his postseason preparation, opting for a bullpen role instead of following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ original plan to use him as an opener.

The right-hander returned from the injured list Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres and was initially expected to pitch the first one or two innings.

Instead, Sasaki entered in the fourth inning of Los Angeles’ 7-0 victory, marking his first relief appearance of the season.

His outing lasted 20 pitches, with two strikeouts and six fastballs reaching at least 99 mph. While the velocity was encouraging, the most significant development was Sasaki’s apparent willingness to embrace a role he once viewed very differently.

Starting has always been important to Sasaki , and his transition to relief last season came largely out of necessity. The move ultimately worked, however, as he became an important part of the Dodgers’ postseason bullpen and helped them navigate their championship run.

Sasaki returned to the rotation this season after making a commitment to develop as a starter. Through his first 23 starts, he went 5-5 with a 4.56 ERA. His performances improved considerably after the All-Star break, when he posted a 2-0 record and a 3.05 ERA over seven starts.

That progress was interrupted by a blister on his pitching hand during an Aug. 26 start against Atlanta, sending him to the injured list and creating another question over how he could contribute in October.

Sasaki embraces a new October role

This time, Sasaki appears to have reached the decision himself. He reportedly told the Dodgers that he wanted to work out of the bullpen because that's where he expects to pitch during the playoffs.

The reasoning is understandable. Los Angeles has an exceptionally deep group of starting options, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal and Tyler Glasnow all capable of carrying major postseason workloads. If the Dodgers use a four-man rotation in October, Sasaki’s clearest path onto the playoff roster is likely to come as a reliever.

Sasaki also appears motivated by the way the Dodgers handled him earlier this year. His first-half struggles were significant, with his ERA climbing to 6.35 after five starts, while his fastball velocity and command were below expectations.

Yet the Dodgers kept giving him opportunities rather than immediately removing him from the rotation or sending him to the minors.

That patience seems to have strengthened the relationship between the pitcher and organization. Sasaki has also become more receptive to coaching this season, with his improved fastball and an additional variation of his trademark forkball becoming notable parts of his development.

Now, his focus is on helping the Dodgers in whatever capacity is required.

That's particularly important as Los Angeles pursues a third straight World Series championship. With the regular season nearing its conclusion, Sasaki's willingness to reinvent his role could provide manager Dave Roberts with another versatile weapon for October.

His return to the bullpen could be a sign that Sasaki is entering the postseason with a different mindset, one that is focused less on being a starter and more on finding whatever way he can contribute to another Dodgers title run.