Overview
- In a March 3 appearance against the Guardians, Sasaki threw 23 pitches with only eight strikes, issued multiple walks, and surrendered a Kyle Manzardo grand slam for four earned runs.
- He was removed before recording an out after continued trouble locating, with Roberts noting he fell out of his delivery and lacked fastball command.
- MLB.com’s Sonja Chen reported the eight-strikes-on-23-pitches figure, and Roberts said he had not seen the overthrowing in prior bullpens or live sessions this spring.
- The stumble followed an earlier rough spring debut marked by a low strike rate and an early hook, renewing scrutiny of his readiness for a starting role.
- No roster move has been announced, though analysts have discussed short-term depth options or a temporary bullpen or Triple-A assignment while cautioning against overreacting to spring results.