Dodgers' Dave Roberts Reveals Roki Sasaki's Spring Training Buildup Plan

Dodgers manager discusses strategy to get Japanese pitching prospect ready for regular season

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed the team's plan to get Japanese pitching prospect Roki Sasaki ready for the upcoming MLB season. Roberts said the goal is to have Sasaki build up to throwing four innings in spring training games, focusing on commanding his fastball and mixing in his offspeed pitches. Roberts expressed confidence that Sasaki is in a good physical spot and just needs to continue ramping up his workload.

Why it matters

Sasaki is expected to be a key part of the Dodgers' starting rotation this season after opting out of the World Baseball Classic. The team is taking a measured approach to get him prepared for the rigors of a full MLB campaign, with Roberts closely monitoring his progress in spring training.

The details

In a recent B game, Sasaki made it through four innings without allowing a run, while striking out nine batters and hitting one. Roberts said the team's goal is to have Sasaki command his fastball early in camp and then work on incorporating his split-finger and breaking ball to get through lineups over longer outings.

  • Sasaki made his four-inning, nine-strikeout outing in a Tuesday afternoon B game for the Dodgers.

The players

Dave Roberts

The manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, overseeing the team's plan to get pitcher Roki Sasaki ready for the regular season.

Roki Sasaki

A Japanese pitching prospect who is expected to be a key part of the Dodgers' starting rotation this season after opting out of the World Baseball Classic.

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What they’re saying

“You know, just to kind of, you know, get out, compete, and I say that in the sense of using his entire pitch mix to get through four innings. And we talked earlier about establishing the fastball, getting the fastball command early in camp.”

— Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager (clutchpoints.com)

“You know what? I think he's in a good place. He's always had fastball command. So, you know, now it's kind of wondering, is it a mechanical, is it intent to be too fine and careful with the fastball, but he's never walked guys. He's always had command of the baseball. So I do think that he's in a good spot physically right now.”

— Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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