Roki Sasaki's teammate makes feelings clear after Dodgers ace's struggles on LA debut

Newly signed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki did not have the home debut he hoped for at Dodger Stadium, lasting less than two innings before being pulled off.

Saturday's outing against the Detroit Tigers once again proved that he's still very much a work in progress. Despite his early struggles in the MLB, teammate and catcher Will Smith is confident that Sasaki has what it takes to become an elite pitcher in the major leagues.

Roki Sasaki emerged as a pitching prodigy with the Chiba Lotte Marines in the NPB at the young age of only eighteen. He has since shown endless potential and raw talent, prompting the Dodgers to lure him into their talented clubhouse. The 23-year-old has since made two starts for L.A., but has struggled with his command in the MLB so far.

Speaking on the "Bleed Los Podcast" after their 7-3 win over the Tigers on Saturday, Dodgers catcher Will Smith gave his take on Sasaki's outing:

"Maybe jitters, who knows what it was. But we have full faith in him. He's a super talented pitcher, he knows what he's doing. He's pitched on the biggest stages and stuff like that. So, you know, back to the drawing board, have a good bullpen this week and expect him five-six days from now to come back out and be dominant.

"Yeah, for sure. Dodger Stadium's intimidating, there's four decks here, it's loud, it's fun. It takes a lot to be able to perform here. Again, we have full confidence in Roki. He'll settle in, he'll start pitching better, he'll start dominating the zone and it'll be really good for us."

Sasaki pitched 1.2 innings on Saturday, giving up two runs on three hits while recording two strikeouts and four walks. It is clear that he is not a finished product, but the Dodgers have enough talent around him to give him the time he needs to develop.

Roki Sasaki opens up on his Dodger Stadium debut after 7-3 victory vs Tigers

It is no easy task for a 23-year-old to make his debut at Dodger Stadium and Roki Sasaki's outing last night against the Detroit Tigers was no different. Speaking on his performance on the night after the game, Saski said (via SportsNet LA):

"Overall, I didn't feel like I had a great feel for my mechanics. My slider felt pretty good but my fastball, split, feel-wise, command-wise wasn't there."

Despite the struggles in his early days in the MLB, the Dodgers coaches and catcher Will Smith are confident that Sasaki will develop over time. He has all the tools needed to become a dominant pitcher in the major leagues and will develop his game progressing through his rookie season.