{"id":132030,"date":"2025-05-14T02:32:31","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T02:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/dodgers-place-roki-sasaki-on-il-with-shoulder-injury-after-slow-start-to-career\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T02:32:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T02:32:31","slug":"dodgers-place-roki-sasaki-on-il-with-shoulder-injury-after-slow-start-to-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/dodgers-place-roki-sasaki-on-il-with-shoulder-injury-after-slow-start-to-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Dodgers place Roki Sasaki on IL with shoulder injury after slow start to career."},"content":{"rendered":"
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The journey of **Roki Sasaki** in his rookie season is not unfolding as anticipated, leading the **Los Angeles Dodgers** to take a decisive step back. The organization has placed the talented Japanese pitcher on the **15-day injured list** due to a right shoulder impingement, an announcement made earlier this week. To offset this move, reliever **J.P. Feyereisen** has been called up from the minor leagues.<\/p>\n

Unless the injured list placement is retroactive, Sasaki is eligible to return to action by May 28. Unfortunately, the decision comes at a time when his performance metrics raise eyebrows; he currently holds a **4.72 ERA**, a **6.17 FIP**, and a **1.485 WHIP**. These statistics illustrate a less-than-stellar start to his MLB career, especially when compared to his dominating performances in the **2023 World Baseball Classic** and the previous season in Japan, where he consistently hit speeds of **100 mph** and maintained velocities in the high 90s.<\/p>\n

In his most recent outing against the **Arizona Diamondbacks**, Sasaki’s fastball was clocked at just **94.8 mph**, a significant drop from expectations. During that game, he allowed five earned runs and five hits without registering a single strikeout over four innings. Dodgers manager **Dave Roberts** confirmed that Sasaki experienced arm soreness following that performance.<\/p>\n

Can the Dodgers Fix Roki Sasaki?<\/h2>\n

Sasaki stirred excitement across baseball when he was posted by his **Chiba Lotte Marines** team in Japan’s **NPB**. Many believed he was potentially walking away from a nine-figure contract by choosing to move now rather than waiting for two more years, which would have allowed for a more lucrative international deal through bonus pools. Ultimately, he signed with the Dodgers for **$6.5 million**, merging ambition with the opportunity to play alongside two **Team Japan** teammates.<\/p>\n

At first glance, it seemed like the perfect fit for both Sasaki and the Dodgers. Yet, after **eight replacement-level starts**, the team finds itself needing to regroup, with Sasaki on the injured list. Entering MLB, he brought a **three-pitch arsenal**: a high-velocity four-seam fastball, an elite splitter, and a developing slider. While his splitter has lived up to the hype, opponents have capitalized on his fastball, posting a slugging rate of **.494** against it.<\/p>\n

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\"Roki