Overview

• The 23-year-old fired a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts on 11 pitches to clinch the Wild Card Series against the Reds and send Los Angeles to the NLDS versus the Phillies.
• Manager Dave Roberts said he would be comfortable using Sasaki in save or other high-leverage spots in the NLDS, citing the rookie’s poise.
• President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman praised Sasaki’s ability to get both righties and lefties out but said the club does not yet know how frequently he can pitch.
• Since returning in a short-burst role, Sasaki has allowed one hit and no runs over three relief outings, leaning almost exclusively on a triple-digit four-seamer and a deep-dropping splitter.
• Sasaki acknowledged that relieving is challenging because he needs more time to warm up, but he said the playoff format suits him given his starter-level stamina.