While almost everything about the Los Angeles Dodgers roster appears to be in top form as we get closer and closer to spring training, there's a specter looming over the team that fans will need to keep an eye on from day one.
Last year, rookie Emmet Sheehan wasn't able to throw a single pitch during Cactus League play, reporting arm soreness. He was supposed to fill out the fifth spot in the rotation but never made it to the mound at all, and he underwent Tommy John on May 15.
He was the first, but far from the last, Dodgers pitcher to hit the injured list for an extended amount of time and/or undergo a major surgery. By the end of the season, Gavin Stone needed a shoulder operation, and Kyle Hurt and River Ryan both got Tommy John'ed as well. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin were inactive all year after they underwent the procedure in 2023. Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, and Clayton Kershaw were also gone for long stints with other issues.
Roki Sasaki chose the Dodgers in spite of this, and despite the fact that the team hasn't said anything publicly about what they might be doing to rectify these circumstances. Sasaki will come to the Dodgers with a huge learning curve ahead, but he might also be bringing some injury-related baggage that the Dodgers will need to keep an eye on.
Do the Dodgers have to worry about Roki Sasaki's injury history during his rookie season?
A key detail in the narrative about the Dodgers' Sasaki chase was the "homework" he gave finalists. Why did his fastball velocity dip last season, and what will they do to help him get it back? Clearly, the Dodgers had a good enough answer to win Sasaki over, but increasing velocity also introduces a greater risk of injury. He said during his introductory press conference that health had been a concern for him.
Sasaki dealt with injuries (specifically, arm discomfort) throughout his 2024 season with the Chiba Lotte Marines, which kept him to just under 120 innings. Tommy John was also recommended to him when he was just 18, but he declined.
It's a given that Sasaki will break out of spring training to make the major league roster, and the Dodgers plan to pitch him once a week, like he did in Japan. They're certainly hopeful that will give him a gentler ramp up into the majors, but with the Sword of Tommy John hanging over the Dodgers' heads, it'd be right to be a little worried.