The start against Atlanta began well, with only a solo homer by first baseman Matt Olson blemishing the otherwise solid first three innings. In the fourth, however, the from-mime turned, as three of the first four batters reached base.
As Sasaki prepared to face the top of the order, the training staff and manager Dave Roberts visited the mound. After a brief discussion, Sasaki was removed from the game, and Edgardo Henríquez came in to pitch in relief. The Dodgers later announced an update.
Roki Sasaki left the game with a blister on his middle finger, the team posted on X.
The development is a setback for a Dodgers rotation that had been trending toward full strength as October approaches. Even with injuries to All-Stars Shohei Ohtani and Justin Verlander (note: verify names if using real-time updates in a live context), teams look to workloads and returns as they prepare for postseason plans. It remains to be seen whether Sasaki will land on the 15-day injured list or how long the issue might sideline him. Manager Dave Roberts was expected to provide further details after the game.
The timing is particularly challenging for Sasaki, who had not been projected to start in a postseason series and had been leaning toward a high-leverage bullpen role in October. The severity of the blister will determine how this impacts his role and availability moving forward.
