Roki Sasaki

Roki Sasaki's 2026 performance through 5 starts (as of April 27): 1-2 record, 6.35 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 1.81 WHIP in 22.2 IP. The K/9 of about 8.74 sits below his NPB pace (11.96), and 13 walks (BB/9 ~5.16) have inflated the ERA. The fastball/forkball arsenal is unchanged from his NPB form — the bottleneck is command. As the third pillar of the Dodgers' Japanese rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani (0.38 ERA) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.87 ERA), his recovery trajectory is one of the most-watched pitching stories in the NL West. The latest line is updated daily in the stats box at the top of this page.

Sasaki's 2026 performance trends so far reveal a classic NPB-to-MLB adjustment curve. The headline numbers (6.35 ERA, 1.81 WHIP) are inflated by walks (13 in 22.2 IP, BB/9 ~5.16), not by loss of stuff — fastball velocity still touches 102 mph and the forkball whiff rate is comparable to his NPB peak. Start-by-start, his walk rate is the metric to watch: the trajectory bends sharply on outings where he stays in the strike zone with the fastball, even when the forkball comes off the plate. Compared to his NPB performance baseline (1.85 career ERA, K/9 11.96), the 2026 sample is still in adjustment phase — the year-over-year performance trend chart and the daily stats box at the top of this page show how each new start updates the picture.

Sasaki's 2026 ERA is 6.35 through 5 starts (22.2 IP, as of April 27, 2026). The walks (13 BB, BB/9 ~5.16) are the primary driver — opposing hitters are sitting on his fastball when he falls behind and laying off the forkball when it doesn't finish in the zone. His NPB career ERA was 1.85 across five seasons, and the Dodgers staff expects a sub-4.00 ERA range once command stabilizes. The live ERA, WHIP, and K total are refreshed daily, so check the stats box at the top for the latest numbers.

Sasaki throws a four-seam fastball that touches 165km/h (102.5 mph) — top-of-scale velocity for any MLB starter — paired with a diving forkball at ~145km/h (90 mph) that drops out of the strike zone late. The 12+ mph velocity differential between the two is among the largest in the league, and his forkball whiff rate ranks in the elite tier among MLB starters. By usage, the four-seam sits around 55% and the forkball around 35% in 2026, with sliders and other shapes filling the remaining mix. When command is on, the fastball/forkball pairing alone is enough to overpower MLB hitters — that is exactly the K/9 11.96 profile he posted in NPB and the ceiling Dodgers fans are waiting to see translate fully.

Sasaki's latest 2026 stats are updated daily in the stats box at the top of this page. Through 5 starts (as of April 27, 2026): 1-2, 6.35 ERA, 22 K, 1.81 WHIP, 22.2 IP. Think of 2026 as his "Dodgers Year 1" — his 2025 debut was limited to 10 starts due to a shoulder injury, so this is the first full season where we can truly evaluate his MLB ceiling. He joined the Opening Day rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and each start adds to the picture of what the "Monster of the Reiwa Era" can do in the big leagues.

FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) measures a pitcher's performance based only on outcomes he controls — strikeouts, walks, and home runs — removing the influence of defense. Sasaki's NPB career K/9 of 11.96 projects to elite FIP at the MLB level. An MLB FIP below 3.50 is considered ace-level; his electric fastball and swing-and-miss forkball give him the strikeout profile to achieve that.

K/9 (strikeouts per 9 innings) measures how often a pitcher gets strikeouts. Sasaki posted a career K/9 of 11.96 in NPB — a historically elite rate. MLB average K/9 is roughly 8.5–9.0, with aces hitting 10.0+. His BB/9 (walks per 9) was also strong, meaning his K-BB% (strikeout rate minus walk rate) was consistently excellent — a key indicator of true pitching quality.

Sasaki's arsenal features a four-seam fastball that reaches 165km/h (102.5mph) — one of the hardest in baseball — paired with a sharp, diving forkball as his out pitch. The forkball drops sharply out of the strike zone at high velocity, generating elite swing-and-miss rates. That two-pitch combination produced a 11.96 K/9 in NPB, the best mark in modern Japanese baseball history.

In January 2025, Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers via the posting system. Key factors included being teammates with Shohei Ohtani (his 2023 WBC teammate) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers' pitching development infrastructure, and the competitive environment. The chance to pitch alongside fellow Japanese stars on one of MLB's most storied franchises was a major draw.

Both are elite right-handers who dominated NPB before joining the Dodgers, but they differ in style. Yamamoto relies on precision and command of four pitches (fastball, curveball, cutter, splitter). Sasaki is a power pitcher — elite velocity (165km/h) plus a devastating forkball — and one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in baseball. Together in 2026 alongside Ohtani, they form arguably the most formidable Japanese starting trio in MLB history.

Sasaki's next scheduled start and the line from his most recent outing (IP, K, ER, pitch count) are available in the stats box at the top of this page and on the dedicated "Today" page. Pitch usage by type (four-seam vs. forkball), swing-and-miss rates, splits vs RHB/LHB, opposing lineup notes, and a Unico AI commentary are updated daily. Live in-play updates run during the game; final results are posted by 18:00 JST.

View Roki Sasaki's today start details→

Roki Sasaki plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a right-handed starting pitcher. He signed via the posting system in January 2025 and is in his "true Dodgers Year 1" in 2026 after a 2025 debut shortened by a right shoulder injury. He shares the rotation with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, forming the Dodgers' Japanese trio.