Trending Now - Roki Sasaki to Make 2026 Debut Amid High Expectations

WHO:

MLB.com - Shohei Ohtani will make his pitching debut for the Dodgers on April 1st, 2026.

MLB.com - Parker Messick, a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher, will start for the Cleveland Guardians against Sasaki.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki, a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MLB.com - Chase DeLuater, a rookie for the Cleveland Guardians.

MLB.com - Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

WHAT:

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki had a 15.58 ERA and 15 walks in 8 2/3 innings over four Spring Training starts.

MLB.com - In his final Spring Training start on March 23rd, 2026, Sasaki allowed four earned runs, six walks, and two hit batters in two innings.

MLB.com - Sasaki struck out 12 batters in his 8 2/3 innings during Spring Training.

MLB.com - The Dodgers lost to the Guardians 4-2, marking their first loss of the season.

MLB.com - Sasaki's new cutter generated four whiffs on 12 swings, while his signature splitter produced three whiffs on five swings during his debut.

MLB.com - Sasaki's pitch count reached 78 during his outing against the Guardians.

MLB.com - Sasaki threw only 58% of his pitches for strikes, while the major league average last year was 65%.

MLB.com - The Dodgers are aiming to start the season 4-0 for the second consecutive year.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki's fastball reached 99.5 mph and averaged 97.6 mph during his season debut against the Cleveland Guardians on March 30th, 2026.

MLB.com - Sasaki's new cutter generated two whiffs on 17 swings during his debut.

MLB.com - Sasaki's final line in his season debut was four-plus innings pitched, four strikeouts, two walks, and one run allowed on four hits.

MLB.com - The Dodgers' offense scored only two runs in the game against the Guardians, marking their first loss of the season.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki admitted he "didn't have confidence at all" as he approached his season debut on March 30th, 2026.

MLB.com - Sasaki limited the Guardians to six baserunners during his outing, allowing two walks, two doubles, and two singles.

MLB.com - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated, "When you don't have success, it's hard to have real confidence," regarding Sasaki's performance.

MLB.com - Sasaki's pitch count reached 78 during his outing against the Guardians.

MLB.com - Sasaki threw only 58% of his pitches for strikes, while the major league average last year was 65%.

MLB.com - Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers' 25-year-old backup catcher, provided Sasaki with a pep talk before the game, emphasizing the need to trust his stuff.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki pitched four-plus innings, striking out four batters, walking two, and allowing one run on four hits in his season debut against the Cleveland Guardians on March 30th, 2026.

MLB.com - Sasaki's new cutter generated four whiffs on 12 swings, while his signature splitter produced three whiffs on five swings during his debut.

MLB.com - The Dodgers lost to the Guardians 4-2, marking their first loss of the season.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki struck out four batters, walked two, and allowed one run on four hits in his season debut against the Cleveland Guardians on March 30th, 2026.

MLB.com - Sasaki topped out at 99.5 mph and averaged 97.6 mph with his four-seamer during his debut.

MLB.com - The Dodgers lost to the Guardians 4-2 in Sasaki's season debut.

MLB.com - Sasaki's new cutter generated four whiffs on 12 swings, while his signature splitter produced three whiffs on five swings.

MLB.com - The Dodgers are aiming to start the season 4-0 for the second consecutive year.

MLB.com - Sasaki threw 21 pitches without recording an out in the first inning during his final Spring Training start on March 23rd, 2026.

MLB.com - Roki Sasaki is set to make his season debut on March 30th, 2026, against the Cleveland Guardians.

MLB.com - Sasaki had a 15.58 ERA and 15 walks in 8 2/3 innings over four Spring Training starts.

MLB.com - In his final Spring Training start on March 23rd, 2026, Sasaki allowed four earned runs, six walks, and two hit batters in two innings.

MLB.com - Sasaki struck out 12 batters in his 8 2/3 innings during Spring Training.

WHERE:

MLB.com - The Dodgers' home game is at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

MLB.com - The game against the Guardians is scheduled to take place at 10:10 p.m. ET/7:10 p.m. PT.

WHEN:

MLB.com - Ohtani's pitching debut is scheduled for April 1st, 2026, at 7:10 p.m. PT/10:10 p.m. ET.

MLB.com - Sasaki's season debut is on March 30th, 2026.

MLB.com - Sasaki's final Spring Training start occurred on March 23rd, 2026.

WHY:

MLB.com - The Dodgers are looking for more consistency from Sasaki and the back end of their rotation after his previous performance issues.

HOW:

MLB.com - Sasaki was able to limit damage in the third inning by striking out José Ramírez and getting Kyle Manzardo to fly out after walking Chase DeLauter.

MLB.com - Sasaki was able to limit damage in the third inning, striking out José Ramírez and getting Kyle Manzardo to fly out to end a potential big inning after walking Chase DeLauter.

MLB.com - Sasaki was able to limit damage during his outing, striking out José Ramírez and getting Kyle Manzardo to fly out to end a potential big inning in the third.

MLB.com - Ohtani is expected to pitch around six innings during his debut, depending on his efficiency.

MLB.com - Sasaki worked on adding a sinker during Spring Training but struggled with consistency in locating it.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 17:20 UTC)

Roki Sasaki struggled during Spring Training, finishing with a 15.58 ERA and 15 walks over 8 and two-thirds innings, including a final outing March 23rd where he allowed four earned runs and six walks in just two innings. Despite these challenges, he managed to strike out 12 batters and showcased a new cutter that generated four whiffs on 12 swings. In other news, the Dodgers faced their first loss of the season, falling to the Guardians 4 to 2, as they aimed to start the season 4-0 for the second consecutive year.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 15:20 UTC)

In a standout season debut on Monday, Roki Sasaki showcased his impressive skills, with his fastball reaching a remarkable 99.5 mph and averaging 97.6 mph against the Cleveland Guardians. He struck out José Ramírez and got Kyle Manzardo to fly out, limiting damage in the third inning after walking Chase DeLauter, and finished the game with four strikeouts, two walks, and one run allowed on four hits over four-plus innings. Despite Sasaki's strong performance, the Dodgers' offense struggled, scoring only two runs and suffering their first loss of the season.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 13:21 UTC)

Roki Sasaki admitted he "didn't have confidence at all" as he approached his season debut against the Guardians on Monday, where he limited them to six baserunners, allowing two walks, two doubles, and two singles. Despite his struggles, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted that it's tough to build confidence without success, as Sasaki's pitch count reached 78 and only 58% of his pitches were strikes, below last year's major league average of 65%. Before the game, Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers' 25-year-old backup catcher, gave Sasaki a pep talk, encouraging him to trust his abilities on the mound.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 07:19 UTC)

In his season debut on Monday, Roki Sasaki pitched four-plus innings for the Dodgers, striking out four batters and allowing one run on four hits against the Cleveland Guardians. His new cutter was effective, generating four whiffs on 12 swings, while his signature splitter produced three whiffs on five swings. Despite Sasaki's strong performance, the Dodgers fell to the Guardians with a final score of 4 to 2, marking their first loss of the season.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 05:34 UTC)

In his season debut on Monday, Roki Sasaki struck out four batters, walked two, and allowed one run on four hits against the Cleveland Guardians, although the Dodgers ultimately lost the game 4 to 2. Sasaki showcased impressive velocity, topping out at 99.5 mph and averaging 97.6 mph with his four-seamer, while his new cutter and signature splitter generated a total of seven whiffs. He effectively limited damage during his outing, striking out José Ramírez and getting Kyle Manzardo to fly out, which helped him escape a potential big inning in the third.

(UPDATED March 31, 2026 03:54 UTC)

Shohei Ohtani is set to make his highly anticipated pitching debut for the Dodgers April 1st at 7:10 p.m. PT, as the team aims to start the season 4-0 for the second consecutive year. In that game, Parker Messick, a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher, will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians against Sasaki, who struggled in his last Spring Training appearance. Ohtani is expected to pitch around six innings during his debut, depending on his efficiency.

(UPDATED March 30, 2026 19:21 UTC)

Roki Sasaki, a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is set to make his season debut on Monday, against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium. Despite striking out 12 batters during Spring Training, Sasaki faced challenges with a 15.58 ERA and struggled with consistency, allowing four earned runs and six walks in his final start on Monday. The Dodgers are looking for more reliability from Sasaki and the back end of their rotation as they prepare for the game, which is scheduled to start at 10:10 p.m. Eastern Time.