Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts assessed Roki Sasaki's first half of the 2026 season at a team press conference on July 8, 2026, describing the right-hander's development as uneven but meaningfully improved since Opening Day.
Roberts characterized Sasaki's first half as "inconsistent" with "room for growth," while singling out one stretch as a clear high point and calling "the month of May" fantastic. He said the pitcher is continuing to learn both the league and, more importantly, himself, and estimated that Sasaki is "a grade and a half better" than he was when he started the season. Sasaki, for his part, said he was not satisfied with any of his statistical numbers from the first half but viewed holding his rotation turns without missing a start as a positive, and identified the quality and control of his breaking pitches as his main focus for the second half.
Reviewing Sasaki's latest outing, Roberts highlighted a fourth inning in which the pitcher worked out of a jam — runners on second and third with nobody out after allowing three runs — by getting strikeouts and a fly ball, saying he could see the confidence in Sasaki's demeanor as he walked off the mound. Roberts explained that his decision to pull Sasaki after six innings was about letting him "end on a high note feeling good about his outing" rather than about pitch count, and added that the bullpen was outstanding afterward. Sasaki's next start coming out of the break had not yet been determined.
Asked what makes a clutch performer, Roberts said the two biggest ingredients are that a player "can't be afraid to fail" and has to "want that spot." He also praised Mookie Betts, saying Betts is regaining his confidence, feels good physically, and has delivered a number of clutch at-bats over the past month.
Roberts also spoke about reliever Edgardo Henriquez, saying he has "come a long way" — from throwing a 3-2 pitch to the backstop while facing Vladimir Guerrero in the World Series to now handling bases-loaded, no-margin situations — and that he is "in the trust tree and he's earned it." On the lineup, Roberts said he liked using Tommy Edman in the No. 2 spot while Andy Pages was out, noting that the switch-hitter has been taking strong at-bats from both sides of the plate, and said he would consider using him there more in the second half.