Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki this year regarding how quickly he will adapt to the big leagues. While his performance in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League was exceptional, boasting a 2.10 ERA in four seasons and making him one of the most sought-after young pitchers in the world, his professional experience differed from that of other Japanese imports. Notably, Sasaki never exceeded 20 appearances in a season, in contrast to the more voluminous professional achievements of players such as his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, when they reached the MLB.

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The Dodgers are actively exploring what pitches he can add to his impressive repertoire, which would elevate his game to the MLB level. Although Sasaki impressed scouts with his triple-digit fastball and prized splitter, he had yet to develop a reliable third pitch on a consistent basis, a process that continued as he progressed through the Dodgers’ spring training. During live batting practice on Wednesday, Sasaki primarily used the slider as his third pitch, a pitch that received mixed shots from players during his time in Japan. David Bote, a right-handed batsman, reported that he found only Sasaki’s fastballs and misses. Tommy Edman, a changeup hitter from left field, also faced a slider in his second appearance at the plate. Edman hit a “back window” slider that slid out of the strike zone, eventually leading to a walk – Sasaki’s only walk of the session. Luckily, there’s still plenty of time before the regular season begins. While Sasaki is expected to move straight into major league action potentially making his debut in game two of the Dodgers’ season-opening series in Tokyo next month the depth of the team’s starting lineup provides him with some freedom to navigate the inevitable challenges of adapting to the highest level of competition.