Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers’ ace pitcher, is officially on the injured list with a nasty blister on his middle finger, a sudden blow that just rocked their pitching staff. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed the news after Sasaki’s troubling outing on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. This isn’t just a minor setback, folks; we’re talking about a guy whose splitter will be sorely missed, and it came out of nowhere.
The Game Where Everything Went Sideways for Sasaki
Wednesday’s game was a tough watch for Dodgers fans, even before the injury news broke. Sasaki was pulled in the fourth inning, a move that immediately signaled trouble. He’d already coughed up a run, had two runners chilling on base (second and third), and only one out to his name. The trainer and translator, Will Ireton, were right there with Roberts when they made the call to pull him. Edgardo Henriquez, a righty, came in to try and clean up the mess. Sasaki’s final line? Four runs, six hits, two walks, and a measly three strikeouts. The source even noted his stuff was “notably lacking” long before the blister went full meltdown in the fourth. What a brutal way for it to go down, especially when Sasaki himself said he didn’t feel it coming on until it got “quite bad.” He’s felt similar things in Japan, but this time, it was a totally different beast.
Lauer Steps Up, But What About the Depth?
So, with Sasaki sidelined, who steps into those massive shoes? Manager Roberts is slotting Eric Lauer back into the rotation. Now, Lauer just moved to the bullpen and had his first long-relief appearance in that very same game against the Braves. Talk about a quick turnaround, right? He’s getting another shot in the rotation where he’s had some success, though he’s known for giving up a lot of hits during his starts. That’s not exactly the most comforting thought for a team looking to stay solid. With Sasaki’s IL move, it does free up a roster spot, which they can use for either a bullpen arm or another long-relief guy. Options include Gavin Stone, who’s currently in a rehab program, or they might just bring in a placeholder until Justin Wrobleski gets off the IL. The choices are there, but the quality of depth is now being tested big time.
This move is supposedly a proactive one, with the Dodgers trying to keep the issue from lingering. They want Sasaki “unlimited in the postseason.” That’s the big picture here, isn’t it? Losing Sasaki and his lethal splitter right now hurts. But if he can shake this blister off and be 100% ready for a postseason run, then maybe, just maybe, this whole thing won’t cause “serious harm.” They’re playing the long game, but the regular season pressure is real. Keep an eye on Lauer’s starts, because every pitch matters when you’re down your ace.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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