Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki is set to take a significant step in his recovery from a right shoulder impingement. The highly anticipated rookie from Japan will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, as confirmed by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Saturday. Sasaki’s first start is scheduled for Thursday against the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Colorado Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate. Roberts mentioned that the team aims for Sasaki to extend his outing to three innings.
The 23-year-old right-hander has not pitched since May 9, when he allowed five hits and five runs over four innings in a 14-11 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was placed on the injured list four days later due to arm soreness. Prior to the injury, Sasaki posted a 4.72 ERA in eight starts, striking out 24 batters and walking 22 in 34.1 innings.
In his recovery process, Sasaki resumed throwing approximately two weeks after landing on the IL. He began with soft tossing before gradually increasing intensity. Earlier this week, Sasaki expressed relief at being pain-free and noted that he was using this time to refine his mechanics. During a simulated game at Dodger Stadium, he threw three innings, sitting at 96-97 mph with his fastball. Manager Dave Roberts stated that the team is still “waiting for him to get to a point where he feels really comfortable and confident in his delivery.”
The Dodgers’ rotation has faced several challenges this season, with injuries to key pitchers including Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Tony Gonsolin. Despite these setbacks, the team remains optimistic about Sasaki’s potential return, which could provide a significant boost to their pitching staff.
As of now, Sasaki is expected to continue as a starting pitcher upon his return, though the team has not ruled out the possibility of him transitioning to a relief role, depending on the team’s needs and his performance during the rehab assignment.