WASHINGTON, DC — Roki Sasaki’s outing Sunday against the Nationals had two very different stories in it, and that was exactly what made his postgame comments so interesting.

For the first two innings, Sasaki looked sharp and efficient. He got quick outs, kept his pitch count down, and seemed to be in control. Then the game turned on him in the third and fourth, when Washington tagged him for two home runs and six earned runs. By the end of the day, though, Sasaki still managed to finish on a strong note with a clean 1-2-3 fifth inning, and the Dodgers’ comeback kept him from wearing the loss.

Using the Nats Aggressive Hitting Style Against Them

Speaking through a translator after the game, Sasaki pointed to the Nationals’ approach as one reason he was able to settle in so well early.

“They were a relatively aggressive-swinging team,” Sasaki said. “Early in the game, they were putting the ball in play in the early counts, and I was able to keep my pitch count down and keep collecting outs. I think that was a good part of today.”

That matched what fans saw. Sasaki worked quickly, got ahead of hitters often enough, and looked far more comfortable than a pitcher headed for a rough line a few innings later. For a while, it felt like he was setting the tone for exactly the kind of bounce-back start the Dodgers needed.

Rough Second Time Through the Batting Order

The trouble, as Sasaki explained, came once Washington got a second look at him.

“In the first time through the order, I was able to get outs pretty early with my slider-type pitches,” he said. “I used a lot of sliders, so later on I wasn’t able to build my game plan more around the fastball and split. I think that may have played a part the second time through.”

That was a thoughtful answer, and it offered a pretty revealing look into how Sasaki saw the outing. Early success with the slider helped him cruise through the beginning of the game, but it also may have shaped the rest of the start in a way that left him with fewer options once Nationals hitters adjusted. By the middle innings, Washington seemed much more comfortable, and Sasaki was suddenly working from a much tougher place.

That’s the Way the Ball (sometimes) Bounces

One of the most frustrating moments came on the ground ball that hit first base and turned into a hit, a strange bounce that helped keep the inning moving. Sasaki did not brush that play aside as simple bad luck. He saw it as part of a larger sequence that he could have handled better.

“We were behind by one run, and I really didn’t want to allow any more runs there,” Sasaki said. “In that situation, it felt wasteful. I got into a bad count, and because of that I had to throw to a spot where the hitter could make contact more easily. I think that’s something I need to reflect on as well.”

That answer probably says a lot about why the Dodgers remain so encouraged by him even through uneven outings. Sasaki was not standing there blaming the base, the bounce, or the circumstances. He went straight to the count, the pitch location, and the situation management. For a young pitcher still learning his way through a major league lineup, that kind of self-awareness matters.

Locating the Splitter

He also addressed the feel for his split, which remains one of the key pitches everyone watches when he takes the mound.

“There were some that went over the plate,” Sasaki said. “But in terms of usage, there really weren’t that many of them today. I think because my fastball and slider command were pretty good, the game ended up centering more on those pitches.”

That helps explain why Sunday’s start felt a little unusual. Sasaki had enough command of the fastball and slider to get through stretches of the game effectively, but the split was not as prominent a weapon in the overall mix. Against a lineup seeing him for the second time, that became a challenge.

Finishing Strong

Even so, there was something important in the way he finished. After the ugly third and fourth innings, Sasaki came back out for the fifth and put up a clean 1-2-3 frame. That inning did not erase the damage, but it did matter. It showed composure. It showed that he could regain his footing. And on a day when the Dodgers’ offense came charging back and spared him the loss, that final inning gave the outing a much steadier ending than it looked like it might have for a while.

For Dodger fans, this was one of those starts that was frustrating in the middle and still useful in the big picture. Sasaki showed how good he can look when he is getting early contact and moving efficiently. He also got a reminder of how quickly major league hitters adjust when they have seen a pitch mix once already. The line was rough, but his comments afterward sounded like a pitcher who understood exactly where the game changed and why.

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