Getty
(Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
It’s been a challenging start to spring training for Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki. He’s allowed seven earned runs in his two outings this spring, and concerns over him being a starting pitcher are again emerging.
Last season, Sasaki struggled as a starter in his rookie year. After returning from a right shoulder impingement injury, he found confidence coming out of the bullpen, helping the Dodgers win the World Series over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Sasaki had an ERA of 0.84, six strikeouts, and three saves in nine appearances in the 2025 postseason in his rookie season, per StatMuse.
Nonetheless, despite the success as the closer last season, Sasaki sees himself as a starter, and so does Los Angeles, but so far, it’s been a bumpy start ahead of the 2026 MLB season. Still, MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds isn’t ready to hit the panic button on Sasaki.
“I’m not concerned because I think it’s fixable,” Reynolds said on March 4 on MLB Network. “And I don’t think it’s fixable the way they did it last year. I think it’s a real simple fix. It’s a matter of the [catcher’s] target. We’re so much into this moving target.
“Remember we had Adam Wainwright on talking about maybe if you were throwing darts and all of a sudden they drop the dartboard. That’s what it looks like for a pitcher.”
Is the Catcher’s Target Hurting Roki Sasaki?
The former MLB player also went into detail on how the catcher’s target is affecting Sasaki, leading to these concerning spring training outings.
“He’s missing by so much, but he’s trying to be so fine,” Reynolds added. “He never pitches on the inside half to a lefty or away to a righty. Everything’s outside. His arm’s running. The balls run constantly because he was so caught up in trying to get movement. I want you to look at the catcher’s target from here out, the rest of the way. By the time he’s ready to deliver, the target’s gone. It’s gone.
“I feel like that’s problematic. It’s not smooth. It’s a quick rush. So he rushes. Your eyes are going to move quickly. It doesn’t matter what you do. That’s what happens. And I think that’s a big part of the problem. If you’re sitting there doing anything and the target’s moving fast, you’re going to react to it. I think it’s lost all the fluidity to the delivery.”
Dodgers’ Catcher’s Target Gets Called Out
Moreover, Reynolds shared what needs to be done to help the Dodgers pitcher get back on track, noting that, with the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge now in MLB, the catcher should focus more on setting a target for Sasaki rather than trying to deceive the umpire.
“What’s more important, for him to throw strikes or trick somebody?” Reynolds said. “Him to throw strikes. His stuff is elite. We’ve known stories of pitchers, and he fits in that category for me, who could tell you what’s coming and you’re not going to hit it.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
More Heavy on Dodgers
Loading more stories