3 overreactions to Dodgers’ commanding sweep vs. Cubs in Tokyo Series

With the Tokyo Series finale in the books, the Dodgers are officially leading MLB with a perfect winning record. Although there were a couple of iffy moments, the Dodgers always looked like they were three steps ahead of the Cubs. Shōta Imanaga was brilliant, but Chicago's hitting left a lot to be desired, and their defense gave LA a couple of freebies.

Dodgers and Cubs fans got an early preview at how their teams will look in situations that actually matter, and although it's only been two games, they still feel like a better approximation of what we should expect than spring training peformances. There's always a danger in reading too far into data from small sample sizes, but here are three reactions (maybe overreactions) to the Tokyo Series.

3 overreactions to Dodgers’ commanding sweep vs. Cubs in Tokyo Series

The Dodgers definitely need to work out some kinks with Roki Sasaki

Dave Roberts referred to Sasaki as an "unfinished product" during spring training, and that was clear during his Tokyo Series start. Sasaki was at times brilliant, throwing two fastballs 100 MPH or over despite velocity having been a concern for him previously, and sitting at 98 MPH, but his command wasn't there. The splitter, which has already been efficient in spring training, was hardly fooling Cubs hitters. All told, he threw 56 pitches, less than half of which were thrown for strikes.

Sasaki found himself on the edge of catastrophe in the bottom of the third, when he gave up a one-out single, then surrendered three consecutive walks to allow a run to score. It was admirable that he managed to get out of that jam with two strikeouts, but less so that he ultimately gave up five walks. It was an incredibly high-stakes start for Sasaki for multiple reasons, so we can forgive him some nerves, but the Dodgers definitely have some work to do with him.

Will Smith could finally make the Dodgers' Big Five a real thing

After coming out the gate very hot in 2024 through April, Smith struggled as soon as the Dodgers got into May, and he didn't heat up again until September. It was enough to have the Dodgers regularly batting him sixth (and dropping down to seventh) by that point. Teoscar Hernández took Smith's place in the Dodgers' Big Four, and Smith made it seem like the Dodgers might start regretting giving him a 10-year extension long before its expiration.

However, Smith was the Dodgers' best hitter through the Tokyo Series; he got on base in four out of five plate appearances in the opener with a hit, an RBI, and three walks, and then he collected his first extra-base hit of the year in the second game and walked twice again. Smith does have a penchant for being very good in the first few months of the season before going out with a whimper, but maybe the effectiveness will actually stick around this time.

The Dodgers' bullpen is already the best in baseball

Nine Dodgers relievers took the mound across the first and second games, and the bullpen's sheer dominance was fully on display, especially in the opener. Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a solid start, going five innings and only allowing one run, then Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott followed with one run apiece and didn't allow a single baserunner via hit or walk, while Scott picked up his first save of the season.

The finale was shakier — Luis García and Jack Dreyer gave up a run each — but Kirby Yates and Alex Vesia, two of the heaviest hitters in the bullpen, didn't allow any damage. And the thing is that the Dodgers have a lot more of this. Justin Wrobleski, who pitched two innings in one of the Dodgers' exhibition games, had a great spring but was optioned on Tuesday, and Landon Knack followed the next day. If the Dodgers continue to get unlucky with injuries, then that kind of depth is incredibly reassuring.