Roki Sasaki delivered another encouraging outing in relief, with two strikeouts in a scoreless seventh inning on Friday night. Given the current beleaguered state of the bullpen and the stuff Sasaki possesses, it’s hard to envision a Dodgers postseason roster without him on it.
This singular inning is the closest Rōki Sasaki has looked to his peak in a competitive game since signing with LA, one in which he looked like the sort of eye-opening reinforcement that couldn’t have come at a better time for the Dodgers as they scramble to put together a group that might be able to hold onto a lead for once. The inherent volatility Sasaki has shown in his professional career makes him the ultimate wild card for a pitching staff in desperate need of a hero, a rock they can rely on to some degree.
Max Muncy is dealing with leg bruising after getting hit by a pitch against the Giants, and hasn’t played since Wednesday, while still working through some swing issues. From Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times:
“It’s just trying to be smart about a couple things,” Muncy said. “Just trying to manage all of that, stay on top of that and hopefully clean all that up.”
Tommy Edman, who’s been sidelined twice with a right ankle issue this season, is still hampered by the injury. He delivered the game-winning hit in the 11th inning on Wednesday but was removed for a pinch-runner, feeling something from the diving catch he made in the ninth inning.
“It’s not gonna be 100% throughout the rest of the season. It is something we’re gonna have to keep managing,” Roberts said. “But my thought is he’ll be back in there tomorrow.”