The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a frustrating 8-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Friday, and Dave Roberts did not hide what went wrong. Roki Sasaki carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning before the game unraveled. The young right-hander allowed seven runs and took the loss.
After the game, Dodgers fans heard a clear assessment from their manager. Speaking to SportsNet LA, Roberts pointed to command issues rather than velocity concerns. The defeat dropped Sasaki to a 4.76 ERA through 12 appearances, though Los Angeles remains atop the NL West at 44-26.
"I think he's (Roki) in a good spot. Certainly not the outcome we wanted."
Dave Roberts addresses the media after the #Dodgers lose to the White Sox, 8-2. pic.twitter.com/40tAr6Tydu
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) June 13, 2026
Roberts explained that Sasaki never looked quite like himself. “I don’t think Roque’s stuff was as crisp as it has been recently. You can see that he couldn’t land the split, really didn’t have command of it,” Roberts said. He also pointed to a chain of events in the fifth inning. A leadoff walk, a flare hit, a missed double-play chance, and more free passes opened the door. “So all that stuff kind of led to that big inning,” Roberts added.
Dave Roberts, Dodgers still believe in Sasaki
Despite the rough outing, Roberts made it clear that he is not worried about Roki Sasaki’s long-term outlook. The Dodgers skipper praised the pitcher’s fastball and focused on one specific issue.
“I think he’s in a good spot. I think certainly it’s not the outcome that we wanted. But yeah, I mean, I think tonight I thought the fastball velocity was good. The fastball had good life to it. I just thought he just couldn’t command that split,” Roberts said.
That confidence matters. Sasaki entered the game on a strong stretch and had shown growing comfort on a major league mound. One bad night does not erase that progress.
Roberts also framed the moment as part of the learning process. “He’s on a good run. He really is. And so it is a good test for a young player that, you know, after he has one like this, how he responds.”
Now the spotlight shifts to Sasaki’s next start. Under the stadium lights and with expectations still high, how will the Dodgers young arm answer back?
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