Dodgers manager Roberts confirms Roki Sasaki as primary closer: other pitchers still needed to share the workload

Since coming back from the injured list, Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki has performed impressively in relief roles, successfully closing out the first two games of the series. Today, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear for the first time that Sasaki is the primary closer, while also noting that he can't appear in every game and the team needs to depend on other pitchers as well.

Roberts had previously expressed that he did not want to limit Sasaki to pitching only the ninth inning. When asked today if Sasaki is the main closer, Roberts replied, "He is definitely the primary option." However, he added, "We have to win many games, and he can't close every single one. That’s unrealistic, so others must step in. But if the situation calls for it, he will certainly close in the final moments."

In the playoffs, key relievers must be ready to enter the game at any time. In a best-of-seven series, pitchers might even appear on three consecutive days. However, Roberts noted that they must consider Sasaki's lack of experience pitching on such a frequent basis in the past.

“We need to find a balance,” Roberts said. “This is something he hasn’t gone through before, and now we expect him to pitch this often over the next few weeks, so we have to manage it carefully. Many people don’t realize this.”

Roberts revealed that the team deliberately gave Sasaki only one day of rest before pitching him again late in the regular season to test whether he could handle this rhythm. But in yesterday’s game, concerned about Sasaki’s stamina, they first brought in Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia to pitch the ninth inning while leading by three runs. Sasaki was only brought in when the lead was cut to one run.

Not only Sasaki, but young pitchers like Emmet Sheehan, who are not traditional relievers, have been assigned middle relief roles in the playoffs, which presents a new challenge for their adjustment. Roberts stated, “This is uncharted territory for everyone. We have to balance risk and need. While I certainly want Sasaki to pitch every game, realistically, that’s not possible.”