Roki Sasaki Set to Rejoin Dodgers Rotation, Possibly Sunday vs. Marlins

Article

A rotation spot, not just a recovery step

Following the Dodgers' 14-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts said Roki Sasaki could return at the end of the team's road trip, with his first start possibly coming Sunday against the Marlins.

Roberts confirmed that when Sasaki returns, he will work as a starter, not out of the bullpen, for the rest of the regular season.

What sidelined him

Sasaki has been on the 15-day injured list since August 26 with a right middle-finger blister sustained during a start against the Atlanta Braves. His return follows a simulated live batting-practice session at Dodger Stadium, where he faced Minor League hitters.

Why the timing matters

With Shohei Ohtani also on the 15-day injured list, a confirmed Sasaki rotation return gives the Dodgers a needed veteran-caliber arm back in their six-man rotation as the team heads into the final stretch of the regular season.

What To Know

Sasaki is one of the most closely watched Japanese pitchers in MLB, and a confirmed rotation return with a specific likely start date and opponent is real, actionable news for fans tracking the Dodgers' postseason rotation math — not just another recovery-is-going-well update.

Sasaki signed with the Dodgers as one of the most hyped Japanese pitching prospects in recent years, joining Ohtani and Yamamoto in giving the team an unusually large concentration of top Japanese talent — his health status is closely followed by Japanese sports media alongside theirs.

What Fans Are Saying

Original Japanese

Easy Japanese

ドジャースのロキ・ササキ選手が、早ければ日曜日の試合で先発ローテーションに戻る可能性があると監督が話しました。