After starting the season and the Japan Series on a nice note, the Dodgers got right back to business with Roki Sasaki making his much-anticipated MLB debut. They put some runs on the board for him early, and despite control issues, he did exit with the lead. Shohei Ohtani gave the crowd what they wanted with his first homer, and the bullpen continued to look excellent in a 6-3 win for a mini-sweep over the Cubs.
======
Roki is obviously the star of the show today, and his command was shaky throughout his start, but he managed to use his stuff to get out of it.
Things started ideally with a clean 1st that included his first strikeout.
Roki Sasaki’s first strikeout of his MLB career. pic.twitter.com/mw9nrVrgC3
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
However, he walked a pair of batters in the 2nd and got out of it only thanks to a lined double play. The 3rd continued the command woes, as after an initial out and an infield single, he walked three batters in a row to force a run in. However, he rebounded with a pair of strikeouts to escape his own jam.
Roki Sasaki gets out of a jam of his own creation with the slider. pic.twitter.com/LfYvCmvQt9
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
That was it for Roki in an abbreviated debut, likely because he threw so many pitches in that final inning: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 3 K, 56 Pitches.
Not worried about command, the stuff clearly plays and I was surprised by the fastball. Promising.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) March 19, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Of course, despite walking that run in, Roki exited with the lead as the Dodger bats got to Justin Steele. After he cruised through an eight-pitch 1st, the 2nd started much better with a Will Smith lead-off walk and a Max Muncy double to put a pair on with nobody down. A passed ball followed that gave the Dodgers a lead, and Enrique Hernandez followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
A Moriyama Special to start the scoring and then a sac fly to double the lead. pic.twitter.com/dblmwcDTwX
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
With two quick outs in the 3rd and two strikes on Tommy Edman, it looked like another 1-2-3 affair, but he worked the count to back to 3-2 and then skied a homer to left for the first homer of the 2025 season to make it 3-0.
Tommy Edman providing NLCS flashbacks for the first homer of the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/QTWNAN4JdY
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
Following Roki giving up his run to make it 3-1, the Dodgers used the 4th to get back and then some. A lead-off double from Will was eventually cashed in by Enrique’s first homer of the year to make it 5-1.
Enrique Hernandez annihilates a ball to make it 5-1. pic.twitter.com/rmrjeJaOoT
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
While Roki’s lack of command didn’t really hurt the Dodgers while he was out there, it did hurt them in the sense that they had to use Luis Garcia, who started the 4th. After a pair of outs, he issued a walk and then gave up back-to-back singles for a run to make it 5-2.
Luis Garcia induces an ugly swing to escape trouble with the tying run at the plate. pic.twitter.com/5w8fmaRH5I
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
The Cubs pen started in the 5th with Nate Pearson, who gave up Ohtani’s somewhat controversial first homer of the season to push the lead to 6-2. Joe Davis‘ call and aftermath was almost the highlight.
Joe Davis laughing at himself and Eric Karros giving him shit, lol. pic.twitter.com/fVPsgcHWki
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
Unfortunately, that was it for the Dodgers offense, as double plays killed rallies in both the 7th and 9th.
——
So it was up to the pen to protect the four-run lead, and in for the Dodgers was Jack Dreyer for his MLB debut in the 5th, and the teams continued to exchange runs, as after his first MLB strikeout, he failed to field a ball for an infield single with two outs and then gave up a double to make it 6-3.
Jack Dreyer’s first MLB strikeout in his MLB debut. pic.twitter.com/qghjq0W6JN
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
Matt Shaw was off to the races to score from first! ?#TokyoSeries pic.twitter.com/P1BaYSowys
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 19, 2025
The Dodgers pen then finished strong as Landon Knack cruised through the 6th and 7th innings, giving up just a single and striking out three batters.
All of Landon Knack’s 8 changeups. 7 strikes with 5 whiffs and a routine grounder on 6 swings. Despite the movement improvements, it’s also a tick harder. https://t.co/q7JVDZXb5P pic.twitter.com/oOmY3quQID
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
Kirby Yates made his Dodger debut in the 8th, striking out the first two batters, giving up a single, and then getting an infield pop.
Kirby Yates with his first strikeout as a Dodger … and his second. Fastball and split. pic.twitter.com/yFlU5JhSiL
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
To close things out was Alex Vesia in the 9th, who gave up a double and a walk with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate, but he eventually got out of it thanks to a great play by Miguel Rojas.
Alex Vesia closes the Japan Series sweep thanks to a great play by Miguel Rojas. pic.twitter.com/dR38w7fpmg
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
Hyped.
Anthropomorphic Can Of Monster Energy in the second game of the season for the second out with a three-run lead. Love him, lmao. pic.twitter.com/jMh9xC9Jtp
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) March 19, 2025
======
2-0 and a Japan Series sweep.
This is unfortunately very much baseball related … seriously, what the hell is this? Jackie Robinson? Fuck that. Insulting, to say the least.
This used to be the URL for a story on the @DeptofDefense website about Jackie Robinson’s time in the Army. The story has been removed. The ghouls who did this should be ashamed. Jackie Robinson was the embodiment of an American hero. Fix this now. https://t.co/rEpZFUbJ8h
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 19, 2025
