Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott look like Dodgers…
SAN FRANCISCO – The sequence was promising on paper. In apply on Friday night time, it was spectacular.
Roki Sasaki in the eighth inning.
Tanner Scott in the ninth.
Manager Dave Roberts emphasised they wouldn’t essentially be deployed in that order come the playoffs, but their performances in the Dodgers’ 2-0 victory over the Giants indicated they could possibly be the inspiration of a championship-caliber bullpen for the Dodgers.
Roki Sasaki pitches during the eighth inning of the Dodgers’
2-0 win over the Giants on Sept. 25, 2026 at Oracle Park
in San Francisco. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
“I don’t want you to pigeonhole me into using these guys in certain roles, but, yeah, I think it’s just better to have as many guys that you have confidence in leverage (situations),” Roberts said.
Sasaki adopted a seven-inning effort by starter Tarik Skubal by placing out two batters in a excellent eighth inning.
Scott retired the facet in the ninth to file his twenty fourth save.
On their World Series run last yr, the bullpen was one thing the Dodgers had to work around. They had been extraordinarily dependent on their beginning pitchers, whom they counted on not only to pitch deeper into video games but also make reduction contributions. Sasaki’s emergence as nearer was as a lot a reflection of their lack of choices as it was of the Japanese fireballer’s items.
The Dodgers ought to enter the playoffs next month with an completely different really feel.
Scott has recovered from his nightmare season last yr, wanting more like the Padres reduction ace who shut down Shohei Ohtani in the 2024 playoffs to earn a $72-million payday with the Dodgers.
As for the 24-year-old Sasaki, he appears even better as a reliever than he did last yr.
“I think the fastball’s better,” Roberts said. “I think the split’s better. It’s also nice that he’s already done it. So, just in total, he’s just a better pitcher than he was last year and a lot more confident. And certainly, the stuff was really good the last couple outings.”
Tanner Scott will get prepared to throw a pitch during the ninth inning
of the Dodgers’ win over the Giants. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
Four of the six fastballs Sasaki threw had been clocked at sooner than 100 mph.
The other two registered readings of more than 99 mph.
“Overall, he just keeps getting better,” Scott said. “Even when he was starting, I thought he was pretty dominant. For him to get moved to the bullpen as we go into October, it’s huge for us.”
Sasaki began seven video games after the All-Star break and was 2-0 with a 3.05 earned-run average. A blister on his pitching hand landed him on the injured checklist. When he returned earlier this week, he did so as a reliever.
Los Angeles supervisor Dave Roberts reacts during the Dodgers’ win over the Giants on Sept. 20, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
He also struck out two batters in his other reduction look, a scoreless inning on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres.
“Throughout the season, I’ve sharpened myself technically,” Sasaki said in Japanese. “Compared to last year, I feel much better in that respect.”
Sasaki will doubtless pitch next in the regular-season finale on Sunday, Roberts said.
He may close out video games again in October, as Roberts said there could possibly be video games in which he calls on Scott to pitch against a notably harmful phase of the opposing lineup earlier in the sport.
Scott said he was open to pitching in any scenario.
“Just get outs,” Scott said. “That’s all that issues in October. Get outs.
“October is about winning every single game. It really doesn’t matter what roles you get asked to do. Just go out there and do it.”
Stay up to date with the latest trending topics! Visit our web site daily for the freshest Sports news and content, rigorously curated to keep you informed.
