“Straight Talk” is a regular feature in which The Sporting Tribune’s John E. Gibson offers a full translation of media availability with Dodgers Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. He will also help translate when Lakers star Rui Hachimura and LA Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida are asked questions in Japanese. 

The job of interpreters in the heat of the moment is difficult without the ability to write down questions and answers and re-hear responses for proper context. That’s where John comes in to help. John currently works as a Japanese-English interpreter and covered pro baseball in Japan for about 20 years. His experience as a sports reporter includes stints at The Orange County Register, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, The Redlands Daily Facts, The Yomiuri Shimbun’s English newspaper in Tokyo and The Epoch Times.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. – Roki Sasaki (2-3) fires seven innings of one-run ball, scattering four hits and piling up a career-best eight K’s with no walks in his longest outing with the Dodgers, and Shohei Ohtani has another strong day with the bat in a 10-1 romp past the host Angels on Sunday in the Freeway Series. Ohtani goes 3-for-5 with two RBIs as the Dodgers pound Angels pitching for 31 runs over the three-game sweep of their rivals.

Q: Roki, why did you have your best start in Major League Baseball today?

Sasaki: Well, I was able to execute the pitches where the catcher called for them, and (Dalton) Rushing called a good game – I think that’s what it was.

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Q: You had to execute those pitches. Why do you have more confidence in the last three starts, to throw more pitches in the strike zone?

Sasaki: My stuff actually felt like it was better my last time out and the time before that. But I was just able to execute the pitches as called and got help from the defense behind me, I think that’s it. And also, we put up some runs and I was able to throw in a good rhythm.

Q: Can you explain why your confidence has grown, or is this the highest your confidence has been, pitching for the Dodgers?

Sasaki: Well, my form has slowly improved. I’m at a place in which I can say, “If I throw the ball like this, it’s going to go here, to some degree.” I was able to continue to do that throughout the game, and that was a positive.

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Q: Roki, you said that after your last start, you felt you were a little predictable. What have you learned about your now four pitches, and how to use them to be less predictable?

Sasaki: So, for the second and third time through the lineup, I discussed things with the pitching coach about how to change things up, and talked about not attacking each guy the same way.

Meanwhile, Ohtani had six hits in the series and capped a super Samurai game the Dodgers likely envisioned when they added Sasaki to the roster.

Q: (Inaudible, but about swing improvements)

Ohtani: If you really think about it, I had found a good feeling before I pitched, and I’ve just been able to keep that going.

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Q: What was the key to carrying that momentum through the break?

Ohtani: For us, this three-game series was close to perfect, as far as how we played these games – the pitchers included, the games were awesome.

Q: You said you were looking for different things with your swing lately. Did you find something that’s kind of got you back in a place you want to be?

Ohtani: Well, I’m able to understand the zone well, that’s the first thing. And I’m starting to hit the ball in the air more at the right angle, so if I make contact, I feel like I’m going to have more extra-base hits and home runs.

Q: What are you feeling is different now, compared to a couple of weeks ago when you weren’t going as well?

Ohtani: So, as I said before, my stance is the most important thing. I feel like just about everything gets determined by that first movement out of my stance.