Dave Roberts spoke highly of Roki Sasaki following his outing, describing the performance as very impressive. Roberts pointed to the elevated velocity, noting that Roki Sasaki reached triple digits multiple times while maintaining strong command throughout the game.
Roberts drew a comparison to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, recalling a similar stretch a few years earlier when Yoshinobu Yamamoto's stuff ticked up in comparable fashion. Roberts said he saw the same kind of focus from Roki Sasaki, suggesting the right-hander wanted to start the second half on the right foot and succeeded in doing so.
Asked whether this outing could represent a turning point for Roki Sasaki, similar to what it became for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roberts said he hoped so. He acknowledged the difficulty of the matchup and the road environment, praising Roki Sasaki for managing his emotions and delivering an effort that was enjoyable to watch, while expressing hope that the momentum continues to build his confidence.
Roberts also discussed the difference in Roki Sasaki's stuff when he is throwing in the upper velocity range compared to a few ticks lower, calling it a significant difference, though he cautioned that such readings may not be present in every start. He added that even setting aside the velocity, Roki Sasaki's splitter command stood out, generating plenty of swings and misses. Roberts said it remains to be seen how repeatable the adjustments will be, noting that Roki Sasaki had put in considerable work over the break heading into the start.
Beyond the discussion of Roki Sasaki, Roberts touched on other moments from the game, including Max Muncy's at-bat that ended in a home run, and a defensive sequence involving Andy Pages and Mookie Betts that led to a well-executed tag. Roberts called it good, complete baseball, adding that finding a way to win while facing Gerrit Cole was a positive outcome, especially given the team's recent defensive struggles.