LOS ANGELES — Roki Sasaki took the mound in Tacoma on Sunday just as Blake Treinen was booed off the Dodger Stadium mound for giving up three runs in the eighth inning of a 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
A coincidence? Perhaps not.
Sasaki made his second relief appearance for Triple-A Oklahoma City, retiring the side in order with a strikeout in the sixth inning, his fastball touching 98 mph and his 87-mph split-fingered fastball whiffing Leody Taveras to end the inning.
“Roki was really good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “His stuff was good.”
Sasaki, sidelined since mid-May because of a shoulder impingement, struck out two and walked one, his fastball touching 100 mph, in a scoreless inning for OKC on Thursday night.
The rookie right-hander had a 7.75 ERA in five starts of a rehabilitation assignment for OKC, but he is emerging as a potential postseason bullpen option for a team in dire need of relief. Sasaki will join the Dodgers in Arizona on Tuesday and will likely be activated on Wednesday.
“He won’t be available to pitch until Wednesday,” Roberts said, “but he’s ready to get an opportunity.”
Sasaki clearly has the stuff–a fastball that averages 96 mph and touches 100 mph, a dirt-diving 85-mph splitter and 82-mph slider – to be an effective reliever in October.
The question the Dodgers will try to answer over the final week of the regular season: can he transition to a new role quickly enough and handle the pressure of playoff baseball well enough to bolster their beleaguered bullpen?
“If he can find the strike zone,” Roberts said, “there is no limit to what he can provide, absolutely.”
Will Sasaki pitch in long relief or one-inning bursts?
“The first thing is you have to see how he responds to something he’s never done,” Roberts said, “Looking at the Thursday-Sunday, two days in between, it’s probably one-inning bursts. But if it does happen, the postseason is very unpredictable.”
What will the Dodgers have to see from Sasaki this week to consider him for a playoff roster spot?
“Velocity, strike-throwing, the split that gets swing-and-miss, and just the ability emotionally to handle coming out of the pen and attacking guys is something he’s never done before,” Roberts said. “It’s still pitching, it’s still baseball. I feel he can do it, but it’s up to him to go out there and perform.”
FOND FAREWELL
Clayton Kershaw closed an emotional weekend in which he announced his retirement effective at the end of this season on Thursday and made the final regular-season home start of his 18-year career on Friday with a brief address to fans before Sunday’s game.
“Wow, it’s been an amazing 18 years,” said Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner. “I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today. I wish I had more to say other than it’s just been incredible. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“It’s been the most impactful 18 years of my life. I’ve raised four kids in L.A., and to get to be here with you today, to say thank-you one more time, is the most amazing thing in the world. So thank you guys so much. Thank you for everything. And remember, we have another month left, so we’ll see you at the end of October.”
FAN APPRECIATION DAY
With Sunday’s crowd of 46,601 in the regular-season home finale, the Dodgers eclipsed the 4-million mark in attendance for the first time in franchise history, drawing 4,012,470 fans in 81 games in Chavez Ravine, an average of 49,537 per game.
The New York Mets and Yankees were the last two teams to draw more than 4 million fans, both reaching the milestone in 2008, the final season of Shea Stadium and the old Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers have led the major leagues in attendance every year since 2013.
“For these fans to post and show up every day, it’s incredible,” Roberts said. “There’s a reason I feel we have the best fans in sports. The numbers speak to it. You can tell this past weekend, the emotion of the fans and how the players responded. It’s been great.”
ALSO
Brock Stewart (shoulder inflammation) allowed one hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning for OKC on Sunday and will join the Dodgers in Arizona on Tuesday. … Catcher Chuckie Robinson was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves, opening a 40-man roster spot to activate Sasaki or Stewart off the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
The Dodgers are off on Monday.