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Dodgers' Sasaki Nears Return After Promising Rehab Outing
28 Aug
Summary
- Rookie pitcher Sasaki had an encouraging rehab start on August 22
- Dodgers manager expects Sasaki to make one more minor league appearance
- Dodgers' rotation is finally healthy, allowing them to take it slow with Sasaki
As of August 28, 2025, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki is nearing a return to the major league roster after a promising rehab outing earlier this month. Sasaki, who last appeared for the Dodgers on May 9, has been sidelined for the past three and a half months due to a shoulder injury.
However, Sasaki's most recent rehab start on August 22 showed signs of improvement. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted that "each start has been better" for the young right-hander. Roberts expects Sasaki to take the mound one more time for the team's Triple-A affiliate before the Dodgers make a decision on his potential return to the big-league club.
The Dodgers' rotation has finally regained its health, with the recent returns of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Shohei Ohtani, as well as the continued strong performances of Yoshinobu Yamamoto. This allows the team to exercise patience with Sasaki's recovery and ensure he is fully ready before rejoining the major league roster.
Early in his rehab assignment, Sasaki struggled with decreased velocity, but in his most recent outing, he averaged over 96 mph on his fastball, reaching as high as 99 mph. The Dodgers' goal is to build the young pitcher back up to throwing five innings per start before activating him.
