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Dave Roberts is the manager for the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. However, his star-studded roster is not immune to injuries. Rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki is the newest addition to the team's injured list with a shoulder injury. He joins starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, who also went out with a shoulder injury.
Sasaki was put on the IL on Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.
The Dodgers' starting rotation is drastically different than it was on Opening Day. The only starter left who began the season in the rotation who is still there is Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Sasaki's shoulder troubles is the latest chapter of his roller coaster of a rookie season. The 23-year-old impressed at the World Baseball Classic in 2023, but has been inconsistent with his accuracy and velocity for Los Angeles.
While some time on the IL could help Sasaki find a permanent fix for both his shoulder and his inconsistencies, it comes at a bad time for Roberts and Los Angeles. Both Snell and Glasnow are weeks away from making their return, and Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw are even further away. Roberts is depending heavily on Tony Gonsolin and Yamamoto to keep the team afloat until their stars can return.
On paper, the Dodgers are as good a team as any in the league. However, injuries across the roster are affecting their team's effectiveness. Some Los Angeles players have been able to play through pain. For others, though, a stint on the IL is the only option.
Luckily for the Dodgers, these injuries happened early in the season. They have plenty of time for all of their arms to return. When they do, the Los Angeles starting rotation is as talent as any the league has seen in recent memory.
The severity of Sasaki's injury is unknown, but the team will be cautious when building a timetable for their young pitcher to return to the mound.
