Tag: Roki Sasaki

Dodgers Prepare for Blue Jays in 2025 World Series

Published on by Dennis Schlossman7 Comments

After bulldozing through the Wild Card, NLDS and NLCS rounds, the Los Angeles Dodgers now face their ultimate test against a Toronto Blue Jays team that just won’t go away. The defending champion Dodgers crushed the Milwaukee Brewers in a four-game sweep, but Canada’s comeback kids survived a seven-game war with Seattle, bringing to the table something that the Brewers couldn’t — an offense that punishes mistakes from opposing pitching.

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Dodgers Roster: Will a Rebuilt Bullpen Boost Playoff Push?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman1 Comment

The bullpen of the Los Angeles Dodgers was by far the team’s biggest weakness this season and could be one of the primary reasons why the club is playing in the wild card without a first-round bye. With a 4.12 combined ERA and 26 blown saves, the relief crew went from what was expected to be a strength to an obvious vulnerability. Players like Michael Kopech and Brock Stewart are now out of the picture, while other arms like Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates have been struggling badly.

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How Will Dodgers Handle Roki Sasaki?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman1 Comment

As the Los Angeles Dodgers approach the final weeks of the 2025 regular season, many questions are surfacing about a potential playoff roster. Among those in the headlines right now surround how they will handle Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old Japanese youngster who hasn’t pitched in the majors since May due to a shoulder impingement.

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Clayton Kershaw Stepping Up When Rotation Needs Him Most

Published on by Dennis Schlossman1 Comment

When the Los Angeles Dodgers assembled what was considered one of the team’s most talented rotations in years, Clayton Kershaw wasn’t expected to be a huge part of it. With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and the eventual return of Shohei Ohtani to the mound, the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer seemed destined for a complementary role at best.

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Dodgers Roster: More Thoughts on Battered Starting Rotation

Published on by Dennis Schlossman4 Comments

For a franchise accustomed to championship-caliber starting pitching, the current state of the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation reads more like a medical journal than a depth chart. What was supposed to be one of baseball’s most formidable starting fives has instead become a casualty ward, leaving the defending World Series champions scrambling to piece together innings.

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Dodgers Roster: How Much Will Shohei Ohtani Contribute to Los Angeles Pitching Staff in 2025?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman10 Comments

After nearly two years away from the mound, Shohei Ohtani is finally getting closer to pitching at the major league level again. The question isn’t whether he can still dominate hitters — it’s whether the Los Angeles Dodgers actually need (or want) him to.

Ohtani recently took a significant step forward by throwing 22 pitches to five batters in a simulated game before the team’s matchup with the New York Mets last week, marking his first time facing hitters off a mound since his elbow surgery in September 2023. That was before he threw two innings of live batting practice to Los Angeles minor league batters before Saturday’s middle game against the Yankees.

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Dodgers Starting Rotation: Who Will Emerge as Next Ace?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman6 Comments

The starting rotation of the Los Angeles Dodgers has entered a new era, as a true ace has not yet emerged to replace the legendary Clayton Kershaw, who shouldered the role for nearly a decade. With Kershaw’s health concerns and diminished role, several high-profile arms now vie for the coveted status as the staff’s undisputed leader. From Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and Shohei Ohtani to the questionable health of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, the race remains wide open.

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Dodgers Sweep Cubs in Tokyo Series

Published on by Dennis Schlossman20 Comments

The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off the 2025 regular season in dominant fashion, sweeping the Chicago Cubs in the two-game Tokyo Series despite missing several key stars. Baseball fans around the world were treated to a showcase of talent from both MLB teams, with Japanese players taking center stage in their homeland.

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Dodgers Roster: More Thoughts on the 2025 Starting Rotation

Published on by Dennis Schlossman6 Comments

In recent news from Camelback Ranch, the Los Angeles Dodgers will likely not begin using a six-man starting pitching rotation until later in the spring. Thanks to a regular-season schedule that includes off-days every week throughout April, the team can temporarily ease back on their expanded rotation plans.

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Dodgers Prospect Watch: Keeping an Eye on Josue De Paula

Published on by Dennis Schlossman7 Comments

Within weeks of the 2024 World Series ending, many fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers were already wondering how the player roster would shake out for the beginning of the 2025 season. Several key players became free agents, the pitching staff was already decimated, and Mookie Betts once again planned to relocate to the middle infield, leaving a big hole out in right.

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