Dodgers' Rotation Pressure Shifts to Roki Sasaki After Emmet Sheehan Regains Form

Sasaki looks to build on recent struggles as Dodgers' rotation nears full strength with Blake Snell's return on the horizon.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 3:28pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the windup and delivery of a Dodgers pitcher, with sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant shades of blue, white, and red, capturing the dynamic motion of the pitcher's mechanics.The Dodgers' starting rotation is rounding into form, but the pressure is on young pitcher Roki Sasaki to solidify his spot as the team prepares for the return of veteran Blake Snell.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation is rounding into form, with Emmet Sheehan rediscovering his stuff in a quality start against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. However, the pressure now shifts to young right-hander Roki Sasaki, who has struggled in his recent outings, as the Dodgers prepare for the return of veteran Blake Snell from injury. Manager Dave Roberts emphasized that Sasaki will not be relegated to the bullpen when Snell rejoins the rotation, putting the onus on the 23-year-old to solidify his spot in the starting five.

Why it matters

The Dodgers' starting rotation has been a key strength of the team in the early going, allowing the bullpen to stay fresh. With Snell's return on the horizon, Sasaki must prove he can be a reliable member of the rotation to avoid being the odd man out, as the Dodgers look to maintain their momentum and contend for another division title.

The details

On Saturday, the Dodgers saw positive signs from two of their rotation question marks. Blake Snell threw a simulated inning as he continues his recovery from left shoulder fatigue, while Emmet Sheehan rediscovered the form that had been missing in his first two starts, tossing a quality six-inning, three-run outing. The team identified mechanical issues in Sheehan's delivery that were causing his fastball velocity to dip and his breaking pitches to lack movement, and he was able to make adjustments during his extra bullpen work. Now, the focus shifts to Sasaki, who struggled in his most recent start, allowing six runs and walking three batters against the Nationals. With Snell on track to rejoin the rotation next month, Sasaki must prove he can be a dependable big-league starter to avoid being the odd man out.

  • On Saturday, April 12, 2026, Blake Snell threw a simulated inning as part of his continued recovery from left shoulder fatigue.
  • On Saturday, April 12, 2026, Emmet Sheehan made a quality six-inning, three-run start against the Texas Rangers.

The players

Roki Sasaki

A 23-year-old right-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who has struggled in his recent outings and faces pressure to solidify his spot in the rotation with Blake Snell's impending return.

Emmet Sheehan

A 26-year-old right-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who rediscovered his form on Saturday, throwing a quality six-inning, three-run start after making adjustments to his delivery.

Blake Snell

A veteran left-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who is on track to rejoin the rotation next month after recovering from left shoulder fatigue.

Dave Roberts

The manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who emphasized that Sasaki will not be relegated to the bullpen when Snell returns, putting the onus on the young right-hander to prove he can be a reliable member of the rotation.

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What they’re saying

“It's been great, and I think that it speaks to those guys being efficient. We're going to have to lean on [the bullpen] at some point, but it's nice to get our feet underneath us with the starting pitching as the season starts.”

— Dave Roberts, Manager, Los Angeles Dodgers

“I think it's just a couple simple things in the delivery that were different [tonight]. I think it just took a couple outings for it all to click.”

— Emmet Sheehan, Starting Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

What’s next

Roki Sasaki will take the mound on Sunday, April 13, 2026, as the Dodgers look to maintain the momentum of their starting rotation. With Blake Snell on track to return to the rotation next month, Sasaki must prove he can be a reliable big-league starter to avoid being the odd man out.

The takeaway

The Dodgers' starting rotation has been a strength early in the season, allowing the bullpen to stay fresh. However, the pressure is now on Roki Sasaki to solidify his spot in the rotation, as the team prepares for the return of veteran Blake Snell. Sasaki's performance in his upcoming starts will be crucial in determining the Dodgers' rotation plans going forward.