Roki Sasaki Injury Update: When Will Dodgers SP Return?
Roki Sasaki, baseball’s No. 1 prospect entering this season, is still finding his footing in MLB. Sasaki still has plenty of time to live up to the hype, but a shoulder injury will delay his maturation as a Major League pitcher. The Dodgers placed Sasaki on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement on May 13. Dodgers fans and fantasy baseball owners now want to know when the rookie will return to the mound. Below, we dish out an injury update on Sasaki and look at how long he will be out of the Dodgers’ rotation.
🚑 When will Roki Sasaki return and be back with Dodgers?
Sasaki felt discomfort in his shoulder on May 3 against the Atlanta Braves and May 9 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has been out of the Dodgers’ rotation since. Sasaki still looks to be weeks away from a return.
“I think right now we’ve got to get him in a position where he feels confident in his ability to throw the baseball,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior told the Orange County Register. “He is pain-free, but hasn’t gotten to the point where he can put enough intensity to push forward in his progression. It’s just a light catch, just exercising in his throw and not necessarily pushing the throw.”
The Dodgers were initially targeting a late June return for Sasaki but it now seems more likely that he won’t be back until mid-to-late July. A post-MLB All-Star break return looks to be in the cards.
Here's a look at the Dodgers’ schedule coming out of the break.
- Friday, July 18: Milwaukee Brewers at LA Dodgers
- Saturday, July 19: Milwaukee Brewers at LA Dodgers
- Sunday, July 20: Milwaukee Brewers at LA Dodgers
- Monday, July 21: Minnesota Twins at LA Dodgers
- Tuesday, July 22: Minnesota Twins at LA Dodgers
- Wednesday, July 23: Minnesota Twins at LA Dodgers
- Friday, July 25: LA Dodgers at Boston Red Sox
⏳ How long will Roki Sasaki be out?
Sasaski is expected to be out of the Dodgers’ rotation for at least another month. The team is being quite vague with the “shoulder impingement” diagnosis, as the range for recovery from this sort of injury is anywhere from a few weeks to three months. The 23-year-old Japanese sensation has already been out for 34 days.
Of note, Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker was out with a shoulder impingement earlier this season. He missed 42 days between outings. Obviously, Sasaki is on a much longer timeline for return.
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