Why Roki Sasaki’s blister could be a Dodgers blessing in disguise

Welcome to the California Post’s weekly Dodgers recap, where we review the week that was, hand out very official awards and take stock of the state of the season.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Will Roki Sasaki come back from blister as starter or reliever?

Roki Sasaki could see the finish line.

As Sasaki was closing in on his goal of staying in the Dodgers’ starting rotation for the entire season, a blister suddenly formed on the middle finger of his pitching hand in his start this week in Atlanta. The blister ruptured, and Sasaki was placed on the injured list.

But what initially looked like a roadblock could wind up being a convenient detour.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki leaves the game with an injury against the Atlanta Braves during the fourth inning of a baseball game on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Because Sasaki is expected to be deployed as a reliever again in the playoffs, especially now with Tyler Glasnow back in the rotation and Shohei Ohtani following close behind.

As much as the Dodgers want to pretend otherwise, Sasaki is their best option to close games for them in October, just as he was last year.

Edwin Diaz can’t be counted on at this point. Tanner Scott lost two games this week in the Braves’ three-game sweep of the Dodgers.

But how would Sasaki transition to a high-leverage, late-inning role when he was insisting on starting the entire regular season?

The blister might have taken care of that problem, as Sasaki figures to be more open to making bullpen trial runs now that his goal is out of reach.

“There’s certainly value in that,” Roberts said.

Depending on how long Sasaki is sidelined by his blister, Roberts said he could return from the injured list as a starter.

“There’s also value at some point – and I don’t know the schedule in the next two weeks, off days and all that stuff and where starters are going to be – with having him inserted to give other guys a blow,” Roberts said.

To the credit of the Dodgers, they have taken Sasaki’s wishes into consideration in a situation in which Sasaki has no leverage over them.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki works against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

When Sasaki joined the Dodgers before last season, he did so on a standard minor-league contract. Because Major League Baseball classifies international free agents under 25 as amateurs, the Dodgers landed a player who could have fetched a nine-figure contract on the open market at a minimal cost.

The Dodgers have nonetheless supported Sasaki as if he was a high-priced acquisition, extending him every possible opportunity to succeed, just as they have with Diaz and Kyle Tucker. 

Sasaki came to the United States with the ambition of becoming Japan’s first Cy Young Award winner, and he knows that doing so would require him to address the long-standing concerns about his durability.

He spent five seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese league and was unable to remain healthy for the entirety of any of them, which explains why he was determined to take every one of his turns in the Dodgers’ rotation this year. 

Sasaki might not have reached the benchmark he set for himself, but his 23 starts this season are a career-high at any level. He has posted a 3.05 earned-run average in seven games after the All-Star break, indicating he still has a future as a starter. 

He has more or less done what he set out to do this year, which was to get his career back on track.

He can now turn his attention to preparing for October.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Glasnow (5 innings, 3 runs, 7 strikeouts this week; 3.02 ERA, 44 ⅔ innings, 56 strikeouts this season)

Glasnow’s return was the highlight of an otherwise atrocious week for the Dodgers in Atlanta.

Los ngeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow looks at a tablet in the dugout after pitching to the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Glasnow gave up three runs in his first inning against the Braves, and while those runs contributed to the 4-3 defeat, they were of minimal consequence long-term. Of greater importance were the four innings that followed. From the second inning through the fifth, Glasnow limited the Braves to two hits and struck out six.

Whether it’s as a starter or reliever, the former All-Star could be a game-changer for the Dodgers. Glasnow will be prepared for both roles, as the plan is for him to enter the game after Shohei Ohtani pitches the first inning of the Dodgers’ series finale in Detroit.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Hunter Feduccia (5 for 12, 1 walk, 3 RBIs this week; .282 average, 1 home run, 4 RBIs, .774 OPS with the Dodgers this season)

The 29-year-old Feduccia, who broke into the major leagues with the Dodgers and was reacquired from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline, has emerged as the primary catcher in the absence of Will Smith. 

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hunter Feduccia (46) reacts with first base coach Chris Woodward (84) after hitting an RBI single against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

A career .218 hitter, Feduccia is on the team primarily for what he brings as a catcher. He guided Blake Snell through six scoreless innings in a start against the Pirates in which the two-time Cy Young Award winner wasn’t at his best. Feduccia was also behind the plate for Glasnow’s return from a three-month absence, helping the 6-foot-8 right-hander complete five innings after a three-run first.

Feduccia also made some unexpected contributions on offense, his four-game hitting streak a major reason why the bottom of the order was the most productive part of the Dodgers’ lineup.

PROSPECT OF THE WEEK

Jacob Kmatz (0.84 ERA, 10 ⅔ innings, 14 strikeouts in double-A Tulsa; 2.54 ERA in 41 appearances across the minors this year)

The Dodgers might have done it again.

The prospect the Dodgers got from the Rays, Jacob Kmatz, debuted yesterday with a scoreless inning, btw. (Gotta love MiLB defense, btw.) pic.twitter.com/CbB3MjRm3a

— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) August 8, 2026

Even at a trade deadline that saw them add Tarik Skubal and several other big-league pieces, the Dodgers also made an under-the-radar acquisition to their pipeline in Kmatz, who has found immediate success since joining the organization.

Acquired alongside Feduccia from the Rays on deadline day, Kmatz has allowed just one run in his first 10 2/3 innings with the Dodgers’ double-A affiliate in Tulsa, striking out 14 batters and only walking two.

The 23-year-old right-hander was already having a nice campaign in 2026, overcoming his struggles as a starter in A-ball last year (5.56 ERA in 23 games) by transitioning to the bullpen with Tampa Bay’s high-A and double-A clubs (he has a 2.54 ERA overall on the season).

And if he keeps up his recent form, he could find himself in the Dodgers’ big-league plans at some point in the next couple seasons.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!