The hype never truly disappeared — it simply went quiet. Now, as the 2026 season approaches, the noise around Roki Sasaki is building again inside the clubhouse of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and this time, it sounds different. Less projection. More conviction. After a turbulent rookie campaign in which shoulder trouble and mechanical inconsistencies derailed his rhythm, Sasaki is no longer being discussed as a fragile experiment. According to those closest to him, he is becoming something far more dangerous: confident.

Year 1 in the majors was anything but smooth. The Japanese phenom arrived with electric expectations and the weight of international stardom, only to find himself navigating a right shoulder impingement that limited his availability and disrupted his delivery. In 10 appearances during the 2025 regular season, Sasaki posted a 1–1 record with a 4.46 ERA and 28 strikeouts. The flashes were there — the 100-mph fastball, the devastating splitter — but so were the growing pains. Velocity dipped. Command wavered. At times, his mechanics appeared rushed, almost as if he were chasing the version of himself that had dominated overseas.

Then October arrived, and everything shifted.

Relegated to a bullpen role in the postseason, Sasaki looked reborn. In nine appearances, he compiled a microscopic 0.84 ERA, struck out six, and recorded three saves, becoming a quiet weapon during the Dodgers’ march to another World Series title. The stage did not overwhelm him; it clarified him. His tempo steadied. His splitter regained its late dive. The fastball exploded through the zone with renewed conviction. It was not just performance — it was presence.

That transformation has not gone unnoticed. Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who has seen Sasaki’s development up close, did not hedge his words when asked about the right-hander’s outlook heading into Year 2. “[Sasaki] looks good,” Smith said on SportsNet LA. “He’s throwing the ball hard. The fastball looks really good. The splitter looks really good. He’s been working on a little cutter/slider-type thing, just really trying to dial that in. We’re going to see him as well, just something going the other way. Yeah, he looks good.”

But it was Smith’s follow-up that carried the real weight. “He’s more confident,” he added. “I feel like he knows a little bit more of what he needs to do on the mound. He has a little better presence. It just takes a little bit of time to get your feet wet in the big leagues. You’ve got to feel success at some point, and that’s what he felt in the postseason. I’m expecting him to carry it over to this season.”

Confidence. Presence. Carryover. Those are not words thrown around casually in a clubhouse that expects championships, not participation trophies. For a team built to win now, patience is a luxury rarely afforded. Yet internally, the Dodgers’ leadership remains unwavering in its belief that Sasaki’s future is not in relief stints, but at the front of a rotation.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made that abundantly clear earlier this winter. Reflecting on Sasaki’s uneven debut, Friedman framed it not as a setback but as a necessary education. “Last year, all in all, was a really good experience for him,” Friedman said. “He was able to dominate in the NPB with those two pitches. Frankly, I think he could here as well with being able to execute his pitches on a higher level. Last year, just delivery was out of whack, velocity was down a little bit. Ability to execute was off a little bit. It’s either adding that third pitch or elevating the pitch-making ability, and we’ve seen that from him in the past.”

Translation: the raw material is elite. The refinement is ongoing.

The debate surrounding Sasaki has centered on his arsenal. Can a fastball-splitter combination sustain success against lineups seeing him a third time through? The organization believes the answer is yes — and possibly more. General manager Brandon Gomes echoed that confidence unequivocally. “Starter for sure,” Gomes stated. “He looks great. Velocity is really good in bullpens. He’s feeling awesome physically and continuing to work on the cutter and two-seam. If he just went fastball-split, he could dominate. And as he rounds out the arsenal, it’s going to be really challenging for teams.”

Physically recovered. Mechanically sharper. Mentally steadier. The Dodgers are not hedging their bet. They are doubling down.

At 24, Sasaki still represents projection as much as production, but projection can be powerful when paired with October proof. His postseason dominance served as a reminder that elite stuff does not evaporate; it only requires synchronization. If the cutter develops into a legitimate third weapon and his command stabilizes, the questions about durability and depth could fade quickly.

The Dodgers do not see a reliever who caught lightning in a short burst. They see a starter in progress, one who has already tasted the highest level of pressure and responded with poise. In a rotation designed for sustained contention, that belief carries weight.

As spring unfolds and 2026 looms, the spotlight will not dim. If anything, it will intensify. Sasaki’s first year tested his resilience. His second may define his trajectory. Inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse, the verdict is already forming: the rollercoaster is leveling out, and what comes next could be far more explosive than anyone anticipated.