Spring training has entered its second week of game action, and the Dodgers are performing well so far. Though they’ve experienced some tough losses and near misses, they still haven’t showcased their full arsenal. Thankfully, the lineup that fans have eagerly anticipated arrived on Tuesday night, and the results were just as impressive as expected.
The Dodgers’ most noteworthy signing of 2025, Roki Sasaki, made his debut in blue Tuesday night at Camelback Ranch. Sasaki caused quite the stir back in January when he announced via Instagram he was signing with the Dodgers. This addition to LA’s already stacked rotation had baseball fans in an uproar, and the enthusiasts were finally able to see what the internet hype was all about when Sasaki emerged as the first pitcher out of the bullpen following a Yoshinobu Yamamoto start on Tuesday.
Yamamoto, first on the mound, faced 15 batters, gave up four hits and two runs, and struck out three. While he didn’t have his best stuff, fans were still thrilled to see him on the mound. In May of last year, the superstar threw a history-making 19 consecutive strikes to begin a single start, and while still very early in his campaign, he has the potential to reach those numbers again. But after four innings on Tuesday, finishing the day with a 5.63 spring ERA, the torch was finally passed to Sasaki.
The electric right-hander made a great first impression during his Dodger debut. His first pitch of spring training reached 99 MPH, and was hit to Mookie Betts for a recorded out number one. His nerves seemed to be high, as he hit the third batter he faced square in the ribs, but he quickly gained control and struck out the fourth and fifth batters.
There have been some questions around the young star and his pitching abilities, with one of those questions being, “How will the splitter play against major league hitters?”
After five strikeouts, 18 splitters, and three innings of 0.00 ERA ball, the new question is, “How will Major League hitters play against Sasaki?” His slider and splitter were both nearly untouchable. This is truly only the beginning for the newcomer.
Repping Dodger blue for a second season, Shohei Ohtani looked comfortable at the plate as well, especially for someone coming off a shoulder operation. In his first at bat, he launched the ball almost 110 MPH to right field, but was tagged out trying to stretch the hit into a double. Although Ohtani recorded only one hit for the evening, his impressive first at-bat of spring training, which resulted in a home run, has allowed fans to remain confident in his future performance.
Opening Day is just two weeks away, and the Japanese trio will be returning to home turf for the Tokyo Series, though this time they’ll be representing their new team. It’s been expected that Yamamoto will start in the upcoming series, but there are still questions regarding whether Sasaki will also see starting time, or will piggyback off his counterpart. Dave Roberts will have plenty to think about following Tuesday’s remarkable performance, while fans remain eagerly awaiting March 18.
