The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series championship by being the most aggressive team in free agency. They weren’t satisfied with their roster and spent more than any other team this offseason. One of their biggest signings was Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, known for his dominant performance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately, his MLB career hasn’t started as planned.

Should Roki Sasaki Be Demoted?

Sasaki has struggled during his first two MLB starts. He has thrown 4.2 innings, allowing nine walks and a 5.79 ERA. His lack of command has been an issue for the Dodgers, as he has been unable to go deep into games.

MLB analyst Jim Bowden joined “Foul Territory” to discuss what the Dodgers should do with Sasaki after two rough starts to begin his career. He said, “It’s all about command and control at the big league level. I don’t care how good your stuff is.”

The Dodgers can’t be afraid to option Roki Sasaki to the minors or move him to the bullpen if he can’t handle adversity, says @JimBowdenGM.

“It’s all about command and control at the big league level. I don’t care how good your stuff is.” pic.twitter.com/ax1WusjJ9U

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 31, 2025

It would be a bold move to demote Sasaki to the minors after only two starts, but he is still a young player adapting to life away from Japan. The same thing happened with Yoshinobu Yamamoto last season during the early stages of his career.

In his first big league start, he threw only one inning while giving up five earned runs. However, in his final 12 starts, he improved his ERA to 2.76 (3.54 ERA in his first six starts, going 2-4 in the process). In other words, making any bold decisions regarding Sasaki may be too early.

Dodgers Proving Their Dominance to Begin 2025

The Dodgers entered the 2025 season as the heavy favorites to win the World Series. So far, they have done nothing to change that narrative. The Dodgers are 5-0 and have managed to pull off wins in various ways.

What separates the Dodgers from other teams is their depth; they can afford to miss a starter or two and not miss a beat. Even in the game where Sasaki only pitched 1.2 innings, the Dodgers’ bullpen helped keep them in the game.

This team is the best on paper, but there is still a long way to go, and anything can happen in a 162-game season. Watching how the NL West plays out this season will be fun. The San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks will be tough competition for the Dodgers, and there is a decent chance we will have three playoff teams from this division.

The Dodgers are counting on Sasaki to be a force in their rotation this season, and how he bounces back after a bad two starts will be crucial.