Dodgers hit roki sasaki with right shoulder on IL
May 13, 2025, 10:01 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - Touted Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki landed on the injury list with a right shoulder impact on Tuesday, similar to the injuries he suffered in Japan last year.

He told the team that his arms were sour after the last time, and in the song, he took five days off for the first time in the Grand Slam. Sasaki threw four innings on 61 pitches in Arizona on Friday and gave up five games.

Manager Dave Roberts said after losing 11-1 to track and field: “What we collect is that he has been feeling uncomfortable in the past few weeks.

Sasaki scanned the issue on Monday's holiday. Roberts said he had no timeline for reward.

"I don't think any expectations are fair to him," he said.

Sasaki was 1-1, with 4.72 ERA in eight games. He had 24 strikeouts in 34 innings while keeping his opponent's batsman at an average of 0.225. Sasaki was scheduled to play against track and field on Thursday. Instead, the Dodgers may compete in the bullpen.

Roberts said Sasaki won't play baseball for a while.

The 23-year-old right-hander joined the Dodgers in January after spending his last four years with the Chibashima Marines in the Japan Professional Baseball League. He missed his shoulder fatigue last year, limiting him to 18 games and 111 innings.

"We're so grateful for the similarities we've received to the scans he's already experienced before, so he's familiar with them," Roberts said. "We just feel like there's some rest, restoring strength, returning to his normal delivery and he'll be fine."

Sasaki, who threw 100 mph in Japan at 100 mph and made his debut in March against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, repeatedly hitting 99 mph in the first inning.

But he has been trying to find the same zipper on the fastball as his speed slowed down to the mid-90s.

"We're still working on a conversation and seeing where he is," Roberts said. "At the end of the day, we want to make sure he can fulfill his abilities and meet our capabilities and expectations.

“We are trying a lot of things with Roki right now.”

Roberts said he doesn't think Sasakie will spend any time among minors.

“Our goal is to keep him healthy, to make him strong, to make sure delivery is reasonable and to get him to pitch for us,” the manager said. “His productivity is not as productive as he hoped, because he was compromised, so it was inspiring for us all.”

Sasaki made his debut in the second inning due to control issues. His sad face and tears were exposed on Japanese TV feeds.

On IL can provide a welcome reset for Sasaki.

"Obviously, we don't know what will happen this year, but given his history and history may be unrealistic," Roberts said. “In the middle of the season, it could be a little bit slow and we can get him back to health, make him strong, a hundred percent and help us pass the World Series.”

Sasaki's injury is the latest blow to the Dodgers spin. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are on the injury roster, although Clayton Kershaw plans to debut Saturday after the start of the Illinois season.

Right-handed JP Feyereisen was recalled for her second term with the Dodgers. He gave up three innings and six hits in two innings relief Tuesday.