SAN FRANCISCO – The Los Angeles Dodgers secured a 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, showcasing the potential of Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott as key components of their bullpen for the upcoming playoffs. Manager Dave Roberts noted that while their deployment in specific roles during the playoffs is not guaranteed, their recent performances suggest they could form a strong foundation for the team's bullpen. "I don’t want you to pigeonhole me into using these guys in certain roles, but, yeah, I think it’s just better to have as many guys that you have confidence in leverage (situations)," Roberts stated.
Sasaki followed starter Tarik Skubal's seven-inning effort by striking out two batters in a perfect eighth inning. Scott then retired the side in the ninth to secure his 24th save of the season. Last year, the Dodgers faced challenges with their bullpen during their World Series run, relying heavily on their starting pitchers. Sasaki's emergence as a closer reflects both the team's need for reliable options and his own talent.
Scott has bounced back from a difficult previous season, showing the form that earned him a $72-million contract with the Dodgers after his performance against Shohei Ohtani in the 2024 playoffs. Sasaki, now 24, appears to have improved as a reliever compared to last year. "I think the fastball’s better," Roberts said. "I think the split’s better. It’s also nice that he’s already done it. So, just in total, he’s just a better pitcher than he was last year and a lot more confident. And certainly, the stuff was really good the last couple outings."
Sasaki clocked four of his six fastballs at over 100 mph, with the other two exceeding 99 mph. "Overall, he just keeps getting better," Scott remarked. Sasaki had a successful stint as a starter after the All-Star break, going 2-0 with a 3.05 earned-run average before a blister on his pitching hand placed him on the injured list. Upon his return earlier this week, he transitioned to a relief role, striking out two batters in a scoreless inning against the San Diego Padres.
"Throughout the season, I’ve sharpened myself technically," Sasaki said in Japanese. Roberts indicated that Sasaki is likely to pitch in the regular-season finale on Sunday and could take on closing duties in October. Scott expressed his readiness to pitch in any situation, emphasizing the importance of getting outs in the postseason. "October is about winning every single game. It really doesn’t matter what roles you get asked to do. Just go out there and do it," Scott stated.