SAN FRANCISCO — Roki Sasaki’s rookie year is not a lost season quite yet.
A popular choice as a National League Rookie of the Year favorite before the season, the 23-year-old Sasaki has largely been out of sight and out of mind since making eight uneven starts and going on the injured list in early May with a shoulder impingement.
But Sasaki got back on a mound this week and was scheduled to throw his second bullpen session on Monday.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sasaki has been pain-free and progressing in his throwing program at a rate that projects to a possible return in “late August.”
“He threw one (bullpen session) two days ago, and touched 90, which was great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So it’s coming. The bullpens, the lives (live batting practice), then to get out on assignment. So, obviously, sticking to kind of a late August date is where we’re at.”
Highly sought after as an international free agent last winter, Sasaki proved less ready for the jump to the majors than projected. He was 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in those eight starts, only rarely showing the 100-mph fastball and devastating splitter that had so many teams trying to sign him last winter.
“He’s stronger than he’s been in quite some time. So he’s in a good spot,” Roberts said.
“(His rookie season) is completely different than what any of us expected. But I think it’s what you make of it. So yeah, it hasn’t started the way he would have liked, whether it’s performance, whether it’s health. But I’m hoping he takes this as a learning experience, and knows what it takes to be successful at this level, both physically and performance-wise.”
DRAFT DAY
The Dodgers have drafted multiple players from Louisville in recent years (Will Smith, Dalton Rushing and Bobby Miller, most prominently). This year, they doubled up on Arkansas Razorbacks.
With their first pick (40th overall), they took left-hander Zachary Root from the Arkansas team that went 50-15 this year, reaching the semifinals of the College World Series. Their second pick was 41st overall and they picked Root’s college teammate, outfielder Charles Davalan.
Four players from that Arkansas team were taken in the first 41 picks.
“I kind of knew the Dodgers would probably take me with the 41st pick,” Davalan said. “When Zach got called at Pick 40, it was kind of surreal.”
Both Root (East Carolina) and Davalan (Florida Gulf Coast) started their college careers elsewhere, transferring to Arkansas for this season. Davalan came the farthest. He grew up in Montreal before relocating to Florida to pursue a baseball career.
“I grew up playing a lot of hockey with baseball on the side,” Davalan said. “I fell in love with baseball and moved to Florida when baseball in Canada kind of shut down during the pandemic.”
Root was 9-6 with a 3.62 ERA in 19 starts for the Razorbacks this season. Playing mostly left field and some center, Davalan hit .346 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI this year, leading Arkansas in hits (93) and stolen bases (10) and finishing second in runs scored (71).
With their second-round pick (65th overall), the Dodgers selected right-hander Cam Leiter from Florida State.
REHAB ROUNDUP
Veteran reliever Blake Treinen made his second rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday. He faced five batters and gave up an unearned run, walking a batter and striking out one.
Treinen will join Blake Snell in moving their rehabs to the Dodgers’ training complex in Arizona during the All-Star break. Both are scheduled to pitch again on Tuesday.
ALSO
Roberts said the Dodgers’ front office and pitching coaches are still having conversations about how to line up the starting rotation when the team returns from the All-Star break. But he said Tyler Glasnow is likely to start the first game after the break (Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers) and Shohei Ohtani will pitch in one of the first five games. …
Roberts said he does plan to pitch Clayton Kershaw in the All-Star Game on Tuesday “somewhere in the front part of the game.” Kershaw was added to the National League roster by Commissioner Rob Manfred as the Legend Pick this year.
UP NEXT
The Dodgers are off until Friday.
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