Roki Sasaki’s introduction at Dodger Stadium is the kind of debut that sticks with fans for different reasons, and in his case, it was a stark departure from what we’ve come to expect from this Japanese sensation. In his second outing in the Major Leagues, Sasaki hit a rough patch, getting pulled after only 1.2 innings against the Detroit Tigers.
His performance faltered with four walks almost matching the five outs he managed to secure. This was supposed to be a showcase of his renowned splitter, yet no one seemed fooled this time around.
Sasaki’s struggles weren’t just about his pitches. His velocity took a noticeable dip, and there was a sense that the weight of the moment might have rattled him a bit. This was evident as he walked back to the dugout, visibly shaken and clinging to his baseball, a stark contrast to his days of stardom back in high school.
Of course, social media lit up like a pinball machine, as it always does. A slew of supporters rallied behind the rookie, but, inevitably, the critics had their say too.
And one of the most vocal among them was ex-Padres infielder Eric Hosmer. Now, Hosmer didn’t hold back, going so far as to accuse Sasaki of having sticky hands—a claim he made quite publicly on X, which we used to know as Twitter.
“Hand is obviously sticky!” Hosmer exclaimed, suggesting Sasaki was having a tough time getting the right grip on those MLB baseballs, even humorously suggesting someone give him a hug.
Despite a fan jumping in to point out that the umps had already checked Sasaki’s hand, glove, and hat, Hosmer was having none of it. His skepticism was on full display: “Yeah cause we all know those wipe downs are legit,” he quipped in response.
Sasaki’s MLB journey has been packed with interest from multiple teams, including the San Diego Padres, who were serious contenders in the race to sign him. It was a close battle, described as being on a knife-edge by Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, who mentioned that every visit, every meeting could have swung the decision. In the end, Sasaki donned the Dodger blue, leaving the Padres to look elsewhere for their international gem.
Despite missing out on Sasaki, the Padres show no signs of dwelling on what could have been. Their season has started with a roar, opening 7-0 in a promising fashion. They might have missed Sasaki’s signature, but they’re far from missing a beat as they gear up for their series opener against the Chicago Cubs, riding high and looking every bit the part of a team ready to make noise this season.
