A smile began to type on the face of Dodgers nearer Roki Sasaki as he described his disposition within the bullpen.
“Every time,” Sasaki stated, “I’m praying the starter will pitch a complete game.”
The Japanese audio system within the Dodger Stadium interview room broke into laughter.
The overwhelming efficiency of the Dodgers on this postseason has created an environment through which even the famously introverted Sasaki feels snug joking in entrance of reporters.
With a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, the Dodgers prolonged their lead within the Nationwide League Championship Sequence to a few video games to none.
They improved to 8-1 in these playoffs.
The one motive there’s any doubt whether or not the Dodgers will repeat as World Sequence champions is due to their heart-attack-inducing bullpen, and now that group has began taking form below the steering of supervisor Dave Roberts.
What felt like wishful pondering has change into an precise roadmap to victory, with Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen taking down key outs late within the sport earlier than giving option to Sasaki, the transformed starter with a 100-mph fastball and vanishing forkball.
The group’s imaginative and prescient got here collectively in Sport 3, because the bullpen was entrusted with masking the three ⅓ innings that remained after starter Tyler Glasnow’s removing.
With Vesia recording two outs and Treinen taking down two extra, Roberts needed to discover a bridge to Sasaki. He referred to as on Anthony Banda, who pitched simply as soon as within the three earlier weeks.
Banda pitched an ideal eighth inning in opposition to the guts of the Brewers’ order, retiring Brice Turang, William Contreras and Christian Yelich in succession. The evening ended with Sasaki changing into the primary pitcher to register every of his first three profession saves within the postseason.
“The thing about our guys is they’re battle tested,” Roberts stated, “and I’ve never lost faith in them.”
The reality was, he didn’t have a alternative.
Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, the group’s two high-priced bullpen additions from the offseason, aren’t on the lively roster.
The dynamic pressured Roberts to proceed using Vesia, who close to the tip of the common season seemed as if he may very well be operating out of fuel after making a career-high 68 appearances. Roberts additionally needed to proceed relying on the 37-year-old Treinen, who final month was described by a rival scout as “finished.”
Maybe probably the most important wager positioned by Roberts and the entrance workplace was on Sasaki, who had no earlier expertise pitching out of the bullpen.
As overpowering as Sasaki was in his two reduction appearances within the remaining week of the common season, as breathtaking as he was in closing out the NL wild-card sequence in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers couldn’t be sure what they might anticipate from him.
Their fears have been realized in Sport 1 of this sequence. 4 days faraway from a three-inning reduction look in opposition to the Phillies within the NLDS, Sasaki almost blew a two-run lead he inherited from Blake Snell within the ninth inning. Treinen changed Sasaki with two outs and recorded the ultimate out within the 2-1 victory.
Was Sasaki exhausted?
“Physically, there was no problem,” Sasaki stated. “However, without me realizing it, I think my delivery probably crumbled and something was a little off.”
Sasaki stated he spent the 2 days between Video games 1 and three engaged on slowing down his supply.
The primary pitch he threw on Thursday evening was a ball to Andrew Vaughn, however the pitch was clocked at 99.7 mph. He touched 99.8 mph later within the at-bat.
Vaughn was retired on a spectacular defensive play by shortstop Mookie Betts. Sal Frelick popped up. Caleb Durbin struck out.
This being Sasaki’s sixth postseason sport, the efficiency quickly subsided issues in regards to the right-hander’s means to face up to an October workload. Dodger Stadium may resume celebrating him.
In a short while, Sasaki has change into one of many group’s hottest gamers, with chants of “Ro-ki” regularly breaking out whereas he’s on the mound.
He emerges from the bullpen to “Bailalo Rocky,” a tune by Yoan Retro and Ariadne Arana. Sasaki revealed the tune was pushed on to him by reserve infielder Miguel Rojas, who observed that “Rocky” stated with a Latin American accent sounds much like Sasaki’s first identify.
“From the start of the season, especially at Dodger Stadium, I couldn’t pitch the way I wanted,” Sasaki stated. “Since I came back (from the injured list) as a reliever and started performing in a way that better represents who I am, I’ve seen the scenery gradually change. I’m thinking that will lead to something in the future.”
Not just for him but in addition for the Dodgers.
Contemplating how completely they’ve outplayed their opponents on this postseason, how nice would the Dodgers be if they’d a half-decent bullpen?
With Sasaki closing, and with Treinen and Vesia in entrance of him, they may very well be on the verge of discovering out.
