Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Roki Sasaki's difficult start against the San Diego Padres at a team press conference on June 27, 2026, attributing his struggles to mechanical problems rather than a lack of confidence.
Roberts said during the press conference that Sasaki lacked command of his fastball and could not locate his splitter, leading to free bases. "There was no fastball command. The split — he really didn't have feel for it. I think he walked four guys, hit a guy," Roberts stated. Sasaki also gave up a home run to Ty France after hanging a slider with count leverage. Roberts added that he was caught off guard by the regression: "I am a little surprised because there was such good momentum going on."
Despite the setback, Roberts maintained that the underlying tools remain intact. He noted that Sasaki's velocity is still present, explaining, "I don't think that he's lost that feel for the power, because the velocity is still there." Roberts expressed confidence the club can address the mechanical issues, saying he believes the team can "get him back to throwing the way he did in May." He acknowledged, however, that he does not fully understand why Sasaki cannot consistently repeat his mechanics from start to start, describing pitching command as "very precise movement." Roberts also pointed to a broader standard for major league pitchers: "Even if you don't feel great, you still got to go out there and make pitches and not walk guys. That's just the bottom line. That's the big leagues."
Roberts referenced Sasaki's Philadelphia Phillies start as a recent high point, noting it was the outing where Sasaki first reached 100 mph. "I think he said he was surprised he was throwing that hard and that it kind of came together faster than he thought," Roberts said. On the bullpen side, Roberts acknowledged that the Dodgers were unable to deploy Mason Miller in the game, stating, "We needed to get Mason Miller in that game and unfortunately we didn't."
Roberts also discussed Walker Buehler, whom he previously managed, noting that Buehler has adapted his approach by relying on a varied arsenal — cutter, slider, changeup, and two-seamers — rather than trying to overpower hitters, and did not use his curveball in the June 27 game. Roberts added that pulling Buehler early would not have been an option during his earlier form. The Dodgers' plan going forward, Roberts indicated, is to work through Sasaki's mechanical issues and restore the command he demonstrated during the May 2026 stretch.