Los Angeles rookie phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki confronted reside hitters Wednesday for the primary time on the Main League Baseball stage.
Sasaki pitched two innings, throwing 27 pitches and getting two strikeouts. He confronted 2024 NLCS MVP Tommy Edman, in addition to non-roster invitations Eddie Rosario and David Bote.
He struck out Rosario — the 2021 NLCS MVP — on back-to-back splitters that generated swings-and-misses.
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After the outing, Sasaki mentioned he felt enchancment from his bullpen session.
“I did really feel that right this moment went higher than I felt in my bullpen,” Sasaki mentioned by way of his interpreter.
Sasaki pitched in entrance of fairly the group, with what felt like your entire crew behind residence plate watching him pitch. There have been additionally loads of others round, together with supervisor Dave Roberts, basic supervisor Brandon Gomes, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, and Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe.
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“There have been extra gamers behind the plate than I believed, however I wasn’t actually nervous,” Sasaki mentioned. “I used to be just a bit stunned to see that many individuals there.”
As for his stuff, Sasaki mentioned each his velocity and command felt higher than his bullpen session. He threw fastballs, splitters, and a pair sliders.
Sasaki additionally spoke in regards to the affect Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have had on him up to now in camp.
“From the primary day of camp they’ve been actually useful in guiding me by way of all of the issues that I don’t find out about,” Sasaki mentioned. “And as video games begin I believe they’ll be increasingly more of these issues that I don’t find out about. So with the ability to discuss to them about these issues will probably be actually useful.”
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Sasaki is anticipated to face hitters once more earlier than moving into Cactus League motion. He’s nonetheless a candidate to pitch within the second sport of the Japan Sequence in opposition to the Chicago Cubs on March 19.
Lastly, Sasaki was requested the most important distinction between spring coaching in Japan versus MLB.
“The truth that there are conferences each morning,” Sasaki joked.
Picture Credit score: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Pictures
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