Roki Sasaki absolutely carved up the New York Mets on Friday night, punching out nine batters and giving up just one run over seven dominant innings to snag another huge win for the team. This kind of performance feels different, doesn’t it? The right-hander was sharp, period.
The Ace Is Locked In
Seriously, Sasaki has been on a whole different level since his rough outing against the Padres on July 2, where it looked like he might be tipping his pitches. Since then, he’s rocking a 1.93 ERA with 19 strikeouts against only four walks across 18 2/3 innings over his last three starts. That’s a serious turnaround. When reporters asked if his noticeably larger glove helped resolve the pitch-tipping issue, Sasaki delivered one of the all-time great quotes: “Probably my face kind of got smaller … That’s why the glove looked bigger.” Manager Dave Roberts nailed it when he told the media after the 4-2 win, “He doesn’t seem like he’s searching anymore.” You love to see that confidence back on the mound.
Ohtani’s Measured Pace and Tucker’s Clutch Bomb
While Sasaki was dominating, Shohei Ohtani continued his methodical return to pitching. He threw a bullpen session on Wednesday in Philadelphia and will be back on the bump for another one Saturday at Citi Field. There is no set timetable for his return to game action on the mound, and Roberts made it clear why, saying, “I still think he is very honest with us about how he’s feeling and we’re aligned with that. Every player wants to get back out there and do what they do. But I think he understands that it’s not about July, it’s about October. We’ve already taken a lot of time to get him back to full health so we’re not going to start [him in a game] earlier than we need to.” It’s all about the big picture, folks.
Meanwhile, Kyle Tucker picked a prime moment for his first home run of July, smashing a two-run shot in the eighth inning. That blast gave the team some much-needed breathing room in their third straight win. His previous long ball was way back on June 27, almost four weeks ago, and he’d been hitting just .239/.313/.268 in the 80 plate appearances between homers. That hit improved the team to 5-2 on their road trip, and you can feel the momentum building.
The August 3 Deadline Looms Large
With the August 3 trade deadline fast approaching, it’s all about who stays and who goes. Kiley McDaniel over at ESPN dug into the prospects who might be on the move, specifically highlighting the team’s insane outfield depth. He figures Josue De Paula is probably the only untouchable prospect in the system. Guys like Mike Sirota, Eduardo Quintero, shortstop Emil Morales, and Zyhir Hope are all unlikely to be traded. Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic went even deeper, profiling nine different outfielders in the minors. It’s a stacked system, which means some tough decisions are coming.
So, the team is riding high on the road, Sasaki is pitching like an ace, and Ohtani is progressing carefully. Keep an eye on those trade rumors as August 3 gets closer, because the roster could look a little different very soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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