Following a standout outing, Roki Sasaki walked reporters through the factors behind his sharp performance, pointing first to the benefit of extra rest between starts. He noted that the additional recovery time, combined with a longer gap since his previous outing, allowed him to feel more settled on the mound heading into the game.
Sasaki also described a subtle mechanical adjustment involving how he used his lower half, particularly around his weight transfer. He explained that this was something reinforced through training rather than a conscious in-game focus, suggesting the change had become more natural by the time he took the mound.
Reflecting on his fastball, Sasaki acknowledged that velocity readings were not something he could track in real time during the outing, since the scoreboard display was not visible to him. He said he only became aware of how hard he was throwing once he saw the numbers later, though he added that he could sense a certain strength in his pitches as the game progressed.
Sasaki also spoke about the challenge of facing a strong opponent, saying he felt there were limited opportunities to succeed against such quality hitters, so he focused on avoiding mistakes and preventing runs. He expressed appreciation for pitching in a notable stadium atmosphere and said the environment contributed to a positive outing.
At the same time, Sasaki reflected on wanting to finish more innings than he did, suggesting that had he pitched deeper into the game, the win might have followed. He described this as an area of self-reflection, while still crediting himself for setting the tone early and building a competitive game. He added that his secondary pitches complemented his fastball well that day, and that he hopes to build on the identified adjustments moving forward, while cautioning that many factors affect performance from start to start.