Andrew Friedman forced to triple-down on Roki Sasaki as Dodgers fans get louder

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Roki Sasaki to be a starting pitcher, and they don't plan on backing down from that plan anytime soon. Sasaki, who has a 5.88 ERA in seven starts this season and a 5.14 ERA career, has had a tough time adjusting to major league action, at least in the regular season. Sasaki's postseason numbers speak for themselves, but most of his action on the game's greatest stage came as a relief pitcher, hence the conversation at hand.

The primary issue with Sasaki's development as a starting pitcher is that it hasn't always been linear. The 24-year-old has yet to establish the command or even his normal velocity since coming over from Japan. It's not uncommon for a young player in particular to struggle in what amounts to his first half-season against MLB-caliber hitters, but given the expectations attached to Sasaki as one of the top international prospects in baseball history, it's easy to understand why Dodgers fans are worried.

Dodgers are sticking to the plan with Roki Sasaki

Despite his struggles so far this season, Dodgers front office lead Andrew Friedman is sticking to his guns on what Sasaki will one day become. Los Angeles signed Sasaki to plan for the future, after all. They can afford a few bumps in the road in the interim, as the roster assembled around him is just that talented.

“We definitely see him as a long-term starting pitcher. We are very firm believers that he has the ability and the upside to be an elite starting pitcher in this game," Friedman told Katie Woo of The Athletic ($).

Keeping Sasaki in the major leagues is in the Dodgers best interest for now. As Woo notes, the gap in talent between Triple-A and MLB has never been greater. Sending Sasaki down may provide him with some confidence, but it doesn't solve his long-term problems.

Why Dodgers fans need to be patient with Roki Sasaki

Again, Sasaki's a long-term project the Dodgers can afford to wait on. The fanbase is understandably unhappy with the short-term results. It doesn't help that Los Angeles has hit its first real roadblock this season as I write this article. Shohei Ohtani is in a slump and need of some days off, per Dave Roberts. The Dodgers have fallen behind the rival San Diego Padres, as well, and were losers of four straight heading into the final game of their series against the San Francisco Giants.

This is a classic example of two things being true at once. Sasaki is a liability on the mound early in the 2026 season. The Dodgers also have faith in their process, and if last postseason is any indication, when Sasaki is right he can be one of the most dominant pitchers on their roster.

Friedman and Co. would love for that dominance to come over a full start, rather than in short spurts at the back end of their bullpen. They can always fall back on the latter option, which Sasaki has proven he can handle with precision.

There's months of baseball left to be played between now and October. If Sasaki can put it all together by then, the Dodgers will have a more dominant postseason rotation as a result.

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