Doubts about Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (24) are growing.

On the 24th (Korea time), Japanese media outlet Numbers Web reported, "Roki Sasaki's serious issue is the lack of 'communication' rather than being out for the season," analyzing Sasaki's poor performance and injuries this season.

Sasaki is a promising pitcher who throws fastballs exceeding 160 km/h. From 2020 to 2024, Sasaki recorded 29 wins, 15 losses, and an earned run average of 2.10 over 64 games (394⅔ innings) with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japanese professional baseball, establishing himself as one of Japan's top aces. After the last season, he declared his intent to enter Major League Baseball through the posting system. Numerous Major League teams wanted Sasaki, but in January, he signed a rookie contract with the Dodgers worth $6.5 million (approximately 8.8 billion won).

Upon joining the Dodgers, Sasaki was expected to be a strong candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year, but he has not lived up to those expectations. In his Major League debut in his home country of Japan, he pitched 3 innings, allowing 1 hit, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 1 earned run, and his season stats show 1 win, 1 loss, and an earned run average of 4.72 over 8 games (34⅓ innings).

On the 10th of last month against Arizona, Sasaki pitched 4 innings, allowing 5 hits (including 2 home runs), 2 walks, and 5 earned runs. A shoulder injury was discovered during his rest days. As a result, he missed one bullpen session and aimed to return, but ultimately he was unable to take the mound and was placed on the injured list.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts responded to a question about Sasaki's potential season-ending injury on the 15th, saying, "It’s realistic to think that way. He is playing in a new environment and needs to rebuild himself as a starting pitcher. Considering his physical condition, there are many uncertainties in the long term. While we have hope, I believe it’s reasonable to plan for the remainder of the season under the premise that he may not be available."

The cause of Sasaki's injury is not yet clear. Sasaki said, "Last year in Japan, I took a break due to this symptom. At that time, my condition was worse. I feel like the injury I sustained last year has not completely healed. Although it was a bit uncomfortable, I had no pain, so I could continue to pitch," but he noted, "Even reviewing the video, it’s not clear what's causing it. We need to start by finding the cause."

Manager Roberts pointed out that Sasaki did not reveal his injury early and continued to play. He explained, "He is a very competitive pitcher. He has a desire to help the team and probably thinks he can manage his condition to some extent. However, the reality is that his performance stability has declined and his velocity has decreased. That’s why he finally mentioned symptoms to us for the first time." He continued, "Many players do not inform us about their physical condition. But communication should not be one-way; it must be two-way. If the player doesn’t speak up, we cannot know. I hope Roki learns the importance of 'being honest' from this incident."

Numbers Web noted, "Not only Sasaki but many Japanese players often request that personal trainers be included within the team. When issues arise, they tend to resolve them with their insiders," and added, "This issue has been repeated with many Japanese players in the past. When they report to the club after the situation occurs, the club reacts with anger, saying, 'You didn’t say anything until now!' This breaks the trust between the club and the player and takes time to restore."

A legend in Japanese baseball remarked, "Players who enter high school and grow significantly do so because their training and diet result in visible physical changes every year. A typical example is Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers). I see no such signs in Roki Sasaki."

Numbers Web observed, "Even among Major League officials, there are many opinions that 'he needs to start over with basic physical conditioning.' It would be hard to argue that the problems that have persisted since his Japanese days are now occurring again in Major League Baseball. The assessment that 'he clearly has the potential to become the world's best pitcher' has not changed. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how the Dodgers and Sasaki navigate this path," expressing hope that Sasaki can overcome his current struggles and perform up to expectations.

[OSEN]