"I guess I'm betting on the performance to continue to trend up, to be good enough, and to only get better with the talent that he has and the work that he's put in. It is, but I think that Roki has still - there's a lot of growth potential with Roki as a young player, and so it's important because we're expecting him to be good, he's expecting to be good and to continue to get better."
"I don't see a world in which Roki Sasaki doesn't [open the season] as a starter. It's a belief Roberts has continually expressed even as the Japanese phenom has struggled."
Roki Sasaki, the Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher and considered a major mystery heading into the 2026 season, will start against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday at Surprise Stadium. Sasaki has experienced an inconsistent spring training, including a disastrous outing against the Cleveland Guardians where he gave up a grand slam without recording an out, followed by a dominant performance against Chicago White Sox minor leaguers with nine strikeouts in four innings. Manager Dave Roberts remains confident in Sasaki's role as a starter, stating he doesn't see a scenario where Sasaki doesn't open the season as a starter. Roberts believes Sasaki's performance will continue to improve given his talent and work ethic.
Read at Dodgers Nation
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