The Los Angeles Dodgers may have figured out a cure to their season-long ninth-inning woes.
Roki Sasaki threw a perfect ninth inning in LA’s National League Wild Card Series-clinching 8-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds and may be in line to serve as the Dodgers‘ ace in the hole, bullpen-wise, in the postseason.
Sasaki has been migrated from the Dodgers‘ starting rotation to their bullpen as he continues to come back from a shoulder injury that cost him all but 10 appearances during the regular season.
The Dodgers will take on the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park — in a duel between two of the past three NL champions.
The Ninth Inning Has Been The Dodgers’ Biggest Concern This Year
The injury bug has bitten Los Angeles throughout the season, but locking down games has been LA’s biggest issue.
The Dodgers were walked off 11 times this season and had 30 blown leads during the regular season. An LA starting pitcher has not lost a game since Sept. 3 — and relievers Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott have picked up all seven losses in that span.
Scott, who the Dodgers signed to a four-year, $72 million contract in the off-season, and Kirby Yates — who has been on the IL since late September — were supposed to be the answers.
But Yates has a 5.23 ERA and minus-0.5 bWAR — and again, is injured — and Scott had a minus-0.6 bWAR and 10 blown saves. Yet, perhaps more damning, Scott was held out of a couple high-leverage, late-inning spots against the Reds, even though LA did not face a save situation in either of the games.
Roki Sasaki’s Stuff Translates To Pitching In Late Innings
Sasaki has not had any issue going to the bullpen, since he has allowed just one hit and zero runs in his three relief appearances since coming off the IL last month.
Sasaki is a three-pitch pitcher, mainly using a high-90s fastball, a mid-80s cutter and a rarely used slider, which also sits in the low-80s.
The lack of a dominant fourth pitch makes him a great option as a reliever, especially given his 22.3 percent chase rate and 17.4 strikeout rate. Plus, he can give max effort if he’s only throwing one inning, which could mean higher fastball velocity.
Plus, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed he will be one of their top guys in relief in the postseason.
“I trust him, and he’s going to be pitching in [high-] leverage [spots] now,” Roberts said. “The more you pitch guys and play guys, the more you learn, and … I don’t think the moment is going to be too big for Roki.”
The Dodgers‘ starting pitching lined up, with ace Shohei Ohtani in line to start Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies on Saturday.
So given the fact there is an off day Sunday before Game 2 on Monday, followed by a travel day Tuesday, don’t be surprised if LA uses a three-man rotation, and Tyler Glasnow joins Sasaki in the bullpen for the best-of-5 series.