Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on July 3, 2026 that he suspects Roki Sasaki may have been tipping pitches during his start against the San Diego Padres and that the club plans to investigate.
"We're going to do a little dive and I don't know if he was tipping his pitches, but they were on everything," Roberts said during a press conference. He noted that the Padres appeared to be on everything Sasaki threw, adding, "You could see it." Roberts stated that the struggles are not primarily a velocity issue, explaining, "I really don't think it's the fastball velocity, per se. I think there's other variables that are leading to the lack of punch or swing and miss." He also referenced the team's strong May as a baseline for Sasaki's confidence going forward, saying, "We had a great May, so let's just get back to competing and making pitches."
Despite the outing, Roberts confirmed Sasaki will remain in the rotation. "He's going to start next week. I just don't think right now we have another alternative," he stated. Roberts also credited Tommy Edman's return as a significant factor in the offense's improvement, noting, "Tommy really is a big factor. I think that he really raised the floor, gives us a professional at bat, switch hitter." He also praised Tucker Rush for improved plate discipline, saying there has been "much less chase since that Saturday or Sunday game in San Diego" and that Rush is "a lot more calm in the batter's box." Roberts mentioned that Rush took four walks on July 2, 2026, calling it a sign of the outfielder's approach and DNA as a hitter.
Roberts described the team's offensive performance as a model of plate discipline. "We talk about chasing pitches out of the zone and getting pitches we want to hit, and we did exactly that. Tonight was a clinic," he added. He also confirmed that Mookie Betts had no issues with his wrist and swung the bat well in the game.
Roberts pointed to the club's 13-game division lead as of July 2, 2026 as evidence of the team's depth, noting that the Padres had held the division lead as recently as May 18, 2026. "It just shows certainly the depth," he said, underscoring the sustained performance that produced that margin.