Roki Sasaki lost the support of the one Dodgers beat writer willing to defend him

Dodgers fans have been iffy about Roki Sasaki since his first outing of spring training, when he gave up three runs in just 1 1/3 innings. Through his next three starts, he would occasionally offer the faintest glimmers of hope that he was trending upwards, and then he would do something to ruin it.

His last time out, he ended up with one of the most morbidly funny lines you'll ever see: 2 IP, 0 H, 5 ER, 2 HB, 6 BB, 2 K.

Fans and writers who are already very low on Sasaki were vindicated. And those who still found it within themselves to give him the benefit of the doubt had to walk back a little.

The Athletic's Katie Woo was one of the only outspoken Sasaki defenders among Dodgers beat writers. After his second spring start, when he gave up four runs in two innings, she said, "I'm firmly in the camp of 'let's calm down about Roki Sasaki.'"

After his last spring start, she admitted that she was concerned, "I've changed my tune. It's time to worry about Roki Sasaki."

The Athletic's Katie Woo admits she's concerned about Roki Sasaki after pushing back against Dodgers' fans early worries

We're not going to laugh and gloat at Woo for having to admit that she'd course corrected; after all, Dodgers fans started getting pretty loud about Sasaki right after his first start. Putting too much stock in small spring sample sizes isn't exactly wise, but doing it after just 3 2/3 innings? Most of the time, that's a fool's errand.

And it's still true — getting too worked up about spring training results is generally unwise — but when a pitcher looks as completely lost as Sasaki did, and seemed like he got worse over many outings, that's when we can sound the alarm a little.

And there's context with Sasaki, too. His rookie season didn't exactly give anyone reason to be optimistic about him, even with the blank slate of a new year. His stint as the Dodgers' postseason closer is becoming more and more baffling all the time. Where's that guy? Will he magically go back to being that guy if the Dodgers move him back to the bullpen?

He gets his first start of the season against the Guardians on Monday. There are a couple threats in that lineup, and the Guardians tend to make stubborn outs, but for all intents and purposes, it's a pretty soft landing. But if he looks the same way he did in spring? The Dodgers might need to start having some real conversations about whether or not he'll need to spend some time in Oklahoma City.