Dodgers rookie Sasaki looks to bounce back in road matchup road against Phillies
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Roki Sasaki had a rough go in his U.S. debut, getting pulled early in front of the home crowd.
His sad face and teary eyes in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ dugout was shown on a Japanese TV feed, triggering reaction on social media and around baseball, not all of it flattering.
As Tom Hanks famously said, “There’s no crying in baseball!,” in his role as manager of the Rockford Peaches in the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.”
“It’s tough watching somebody cry out on the bench two starts into their career,” retired six-time All-Star pitcher CC Sabathia told USA Today Sports.
“I would have much rather see him do that upstairs. There’s no problem showing emotion but I want to see him do that in the locker room. I wouldn't want people on the other team seeing him show that emotion if I was on the Dodgers.”
Now, the rookie is going on the road to one of America’s most passionate sports cities: Philadelphia.
The 23-year-old right-hander known for having a fastball that tops 100 mph is set to make his third start Saturday against the Phillies.
“I want him to continue to stay out there and stay vigilant,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “He’s not used to having some struggles and this is an opportunity for him to fight back, answer back.”
Sasaki threw a bullpen that Roberts said he heard went “great.”
“I appreciate the fact that he went back to work and he’ll be ready to go,” the manager said.
Sasaki doesn’t have to look far for support. His locker is located next to fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Like Ohtani did last spring, Sasaki revealed during camp that he had recently married.
Roberts wasn’t sure if either of his countrymen had counseled Sasaki since he struggled with his control and got pulled in the second inning against Detroit last weekend. He gave up two runs and three singles, walked four and repeatedly fell behind early in counts.
Having observed Sasaki in the days since, Roberts said, “I think that he’s handling it well.”
Sasaki followed Ohtani and Yamamoto from Japan to Los Angeles, signing a minor league contract in January that included a $6.5 million signing bonus. He had a 29-15 record with a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League.
Sasaki certainly doesn't have to carry the Dodgers by himself. Besides Yamamoto and Ohtani, who's expected to return to the mound later this season, the rotation is stacked and their bullpen is deep.
“He's got the arm talent,” Sabathia said. “I think he’ll be fine.”
Sasaki's transition to the majors has been bumpy so far. He made his debut last month against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, where he walked five in three innings while throwing just 25 strikes among 56 pitches. Then came his brief outing at home.
Waiting for him next are Philly sports fans known for their rowdy and sometimes unruly behavior. Heck, they've even thrown snowballs at Santa Claus.
“They’re hard on the visitors as well as the home team,” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to handle himself fine.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB