He could not get through 5 innings again. It is not just that he didn't get through. He came down without catching a single out. This is commonly referred to as a 4.0 innings pitched situation. He gave up 5 hits and ended up responsible for the same number of runs. (Korean time 10th, Los Angeles Dodgers-Arizona Diamondbacks)

This refers to Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki (23). The outlook from his home country is also chilly. They could not maintain an early lead of 8-3. He has also been burdened with the fact that he allowed home runs in 5 consecutive games.

Japanese fans are particularly worried about one thing. It is the fact that while facing 20 batters, he did not catch a single Samjin. The memory of a perfect game is faint. The struggle of a first-year player in Major League Baseball is just heartbreaking.

The ball speed has also lost its explosiveness. The top speed that day was only 97.5 mph (about 156.9 km/h). The average was 94.8 mph (about 152.6 km/h). The heat that exceeded 100 mph has disappeared.

Naturally, there are various diagnoses. One of them raises questions about the pitching intervals.

This was the 5th game of the season. It has been six days since the game against the Atlanta Braves on the 4th (5 innings 3 runs, winning pitcher). In other words, he went to the mound after resting for five days.

This is the first time something like this has happened. It has not occurred since his professional debut in 2021. Until now, a weekly pitching routine has been the norm. In other words, after pitching once, he would rest for six days without fail.

Even after yesterday's game, questions arose about this. He denies it. "I didn't feel that adjusting my condition was difficult. I don't think the (pitching intervals) affected my performance."

However, Japanese media is paying attention to this part. They have expressed concerns, saying, "The fastball lacked power," "The 6-day rotation remains a challenge," and "There are worries about decline in velocity."

A similar incident occurred just a day before. It was about his teammate and Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (26).

He had been doing well as the ace. He had maintained a sub-1.00 earned run average (ERA) since the opening. He excited Japanese fans as a candidate for the Cy Young Award.

However, that day (on the 9th against the Diamondbacks) was different. He struggled to hold on through the 5th inning. He gave up 6 hits and 2 walks. He allowed 5 earned runs. He suffered his 2nd loss of the season.

More importantly, he allowed 2 home runs. He also got hit with a grand slam for the first time since his Major League Baseball debut. His ERA jumped to 1.80.

He was in the same situation. The intervals between his starts had shortened. After rotating through a 7-day schedule, that day was his first start in six days. He went to the mound with a day less of rest.

Naturally, the same questions arose. "Is that the reason?" "Did you have difficulty adjusting your condition?" "Are you experiencing a drop in power?" Such doubts emerged.

He himself said no. "There is absolutely no problem in that area. I didn't feel anything particularly different," he strongly denies.

The manager is the same. Dave Roberts waves his hand. "No. Last year, there were also starts like that (resting for five days and starting after six), but it was fine. The performance today was not bad. I don't think there is any impact from the rest days."

The concept of 'weekly pitching' for starting pitchers is Japanese-style (Nippon Professional Baseball). They rest a lot before coming out, and they pitch for longer durations. Consequently, there are many complete games.

In contrast, Major League Baseball is different. A 5-man rotation is standard. To do this, the principle is 4 days of rest and pitching on the 5th day. These days, it is common to rest for an additional day. Moreover, they usually only pitch about 5-6 innings before exiting. This is due to concerns about injury.

The biggest difficulty that Japanese pitchers face when entering the United States is also this issue. Batters' power, long-distance travel, time differences, and differences in the official baseball... these all create a significantly higher barrier.

In this regard, the Dodgers' attempt this year has been noteworthy. Providing the two Japanese pitchers, Yamamoto and Sasaki, with 'weekly pitching' since early April is quite unprecedented.

However, injuries among the starting pitchers have surged. High-salaried pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow have both been sidelined. As a result, managing the rotation has become quite challenging. Naturally, this has impacted the workload as well.

Now, whether these two Japanese pitchers can withstand this pressure is crucial.

Especially, there are concerns about rookie Sasaki. There has been much discussion in Japan. He was treated with such care that accusations of 'overprotection' arose. He was allowed to rest at the slightest sign of discomfort. He has never played a full season. He has never exceeded the regulated innings (140). He has only pitched over 100 innings twice. (2022: 129.1 innings, 2024: 111 innings)

"It was the same when I entered the bullpen. I warmed up three days before the game. I didn't feel any difficulty in adjustment. However, today, my fastball lacked power. I don't know the exact reason. I will discuss it with the coaches and reflect on it myself." (Roki Sasaki, post-game press conference)

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