Roki Sasaki is a Dodger legend.Â
The 23-year-old rookie came out of the bullpen Thursday night and delivered one of the most dominant relief outings in recent postseason memory. He threw three perfect innings to help close out the Phillies in a 2-1 win that sent Los Angeles back to the NLCS.Â
As the Orange County Register noted, Manager Dave Roberts didnât hold back when describing just how dominant Roki Sasaki was in the Dodgersâ series-clinching win. After watching Sasaki shut down the Phillies with three perfect innings, Roberts called it âone of the great all-time appearances out of the pen.â
The Dodgersâ skipper spoke on Sasakiâs growth and composure under pressure.
âI canât speak enough to his growth and his contribution to this club,â Roberts said of Sasaki. âWeâre starting to see something really special in him, and thatâs why he was courted so hard in the offseason. But what heâs done now on the biggest of stages, heâs just scratching the surface. Couldnât be more proud of him.â
Sasaki Steps Up When Dodgers Needed Him Most
Sasakiâs poise under pressure has been evident all postseason. He earned saves in Games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia and seemed unfazed by the hostile crowd.Â
After the win, Sasaki admitted he wasnât nervous, but was just relieved to finish strong. âI donât understand English that well,â he joked. âSo I didnât know what they were saying, and I didnât mind it.â
Earlier this season, the rookie struggled and even broke down after a rough start. But since returning from a shoulder injury in late September , heâs been nearly unhittable.Â
âMy fastball velo was back to where it used to be,â Sasaki said. âAnd the command of the fastball was where I wanted it to be as well.âÂ
Since coming back, Sosaki has thrown 7 â innings without giving up a run. In that span, he has only given up two hits and has struck out nine batters.Â
The rookie has now been a crucial part of all three wins in this series, and it is very clear that the Dodgers would not be moving on to the NLCS without him.Â
Dodgersâ Outlook: A New Ace in the Bullpen
The Dodgers are headed back to the NLCS with momentum. Sasaki has locked down the closer role for the rest of October, solving the teamâs biggest weakness heading into the playoffs.Â
Even as Shohei Ohtaniâs bat has gone quiet, L.A.âs other Japanese star has delivered when it matters most.Â
In the meantime, the Dodgers need to shift their focus to their offense. The bats have gone cold as they have scored just three runs over their last 20 innings.Â
Shohei Ohtani finished the series 1-for-18 and will need to find his swing if the Dodgers hope to repeat as champions. Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Andy Pages also struggled at the plate and must step up to complement the teamâs dominant starting pitching.
The Dodgers will have three full days off and will not play until Monday when they open the NLCS against the winner of Saturdayâs Game 5 between the Brewers and Cubs.
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