Brewers legend makes feelings known on Roki Sasaki’s emotional display after tough outing

LA Dodgers ace Roki Sasaki got emotional after being pulled after pitching just 1.2 innings against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Sasaki allowed three hits, two earned runs, four walks and two strikeouts during his start.

The 23-year-old Japanese pitching sensation was captured on camera, visibly upset after a rough outing. Podcaster Dan Clark posted the video on Saturday, as he wrote:

"This is brutal to watch. Love the passion he has, though. Love seeing how much he cares. He's just a kid (23) and this rough start will, in time, only help him as an athlete and as a human. He will overcome this adversity and silence his haters. #LetsGoDodgers."

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However, Milwaukee Brewers legend Jonathan Lucroy was blunt in his reaction after seeing such an emotionally filled reaction from Roki Sasaki. Lucroy said that such emotional displays have no place in Major League Baseball, especially on a team like the Dodgers, competing in one of the biggest sports markets in the world.

"Hope a vet pulled him aside and told him to man up," Lucroy wrote on X on Sunday. "No one has time for a kid crying on national TV in one of the biggest sports markets in the world. You don’t like it? Then play better next time. He should be p***ed and ready to go bury someone vs whatever this is."

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After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled out Sasaki, the rest of the pitching staff did well as they allowed one more run in the remainder of the game. Meanwhile, Dodgers hitters also flourished in later innings as they went on to win the game 7-3.

Dodgers manager gives his verdict after Roki Sasaki's tough outing

Being on the receiving end of some poor outings is certainly not something one wants, especially at the professional level. Roki Sasaki got to experience it firsthand in just his second start in MLB.

However, his skipper, Dave Roberts, wants him to be professional and come back stronger.

“[Sasaki] wants to perform," Roberts said. "All he's known is success. And so I think that he's certainly upset, disappointed. But you've got to be a pro and get back to work. … This is all the learning curve, and we've still got a good ballclub, and we're going to need him.”

After the game, Sasaki addressed the media as he revealed why things weren't working for him at the mound.

"I didn’t feel that I had a good feel for my pitches," Sasaki said through interpreter Will Ireton. "My slider felt pretty good. But my fastball-split -- velo-wise, command-wise -- wasn’t there."

Roki Sasaki will need to hold himself together and provide a bounce-back performance to shut down the critics. His next start is scheduled against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Brad Taningco