"I had no experience with regulation innings."

The diagnosis for the poor performance and injury of Major League Baseball Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, 25, suggested that it was due to a lack of experience with regulation innings.

Sasaki is currently on the 60-day injured list due to right shoulder impingement syndrome. He was placed on the injured list on May 13, and there has been speculation about a return in late June.

However, as he has not even been able to toss a ball, he ultimately failed to return. Manager Dave Roberts noted that he would be excluded from plans for this season.

Japanese media outlet 'Daily Sports' reported on the 26th that he was regarded as a strong rookie of the year candidate ahead of the Major League Baseball season, but local media criticized him as "the most disappointing player of this season," discussing the reasons for his struggles.

The report recalled that he had faced criticism during the process of entering Major League Baseball. After the 2023 season, he appealed for a contract but did not sign, which led to numerous criticisms of him being "too willful."

The outlet stated, "At that time, Sasaki was told that if he wanted to enter Major League Baseball, he needed to work full-time to lead the team to victory and convince Lotte and the fans." This pointed out his inability to handle regulation innings.

It continued, "He recorded 10 wins and 5 losses with an ERA of 2.55 in the 2024 season, allowing only 2 home runs. While this was an impressive performance, he did not make it into the pitcher rankings, having only accumulated 111 innings and failing to meet regulation innings."

Since his entry, Sasaki has been a prime target for special management by the club. In his first year in 2020, he did not make his debut in the first team and received systematic training in the minor leagues. It was a project to cultivate him into a top-tier pitcher in NPB.

After 11 appearances in 2021, he became a regular starting pitcher in the 2022 season. He pitched in 20 games, throwing 129⅓ innings with a record of 9 wins and 4 losses, and an ERA of 2.02. On April 10, he achieved a perfect game, recording 13 consecutive strikeouts against the Orix and setting a one-game record of 19 strikeouts.

In the 2023 season, he posted a record of 7 wins and 4 losses with an ERA of 1.78 over 15 games and 91 innings. He also reached a top speed of 165 km/h this year. However, he has never exceeded regulation innings until the 2024 season, raising concerns about his durability.

The media pointed out that "not completing regulation innings and entering Major League Baseball is the reason for his injuries and poor performance with the Dodgers. He did not gain experience throwing through a lengthy season and did not build the confidence to pitch even in an imperfect physical condition."

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