Andrew Friedman Explains Why Dodgers are Keeping Roki Sasaki in Majors — For Now
The Los Angeles Dodgers are keeping Roki Sasaki in the major leagues, with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman explaining that it's a long-term move.
Los Angeles Dodgers fans may be frustrated with the up-and-down performances of pitcher Roki Sasaki in 2026 , but president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is calling for patience. Speaking with Katie Woo of The Athletic , he indicated that despite calls for Sasaki to be sent down to the minors to further develop, his time in the majors is an investment in the team’s future. Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) walks back to the dugout as he is taken out from the game by manager Dave Roberts (left) during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images So while some may be calling for change now, it’s in the team’s best interest to stay the course, he explained. “I 100 percent appreciate and get that right now, fans don’t care at all about three years from now or five years from now,” Friedman said. “But when we get there, they definitely will.
So it’s incumbent upon us to do everything we can to maximize the now, while also doing everything we can to put ourselves in the best position in the future, as well. ” Roki Sasaki develops best when facing top-level competition, Friedman says Many Dodgers fans are willing to give Sasaki some time to develop, but they want to see him do so at the minor-league level. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation) Friedman, however, believes Sasaki needs to compete against top-level talent.
“The feedback he gets from major-league hitters is really important,” Friedman said. “This is a really talented pitcher who, when delivery and throw and everything is synced up, can really spot a fastball. We haven’t seen that as much here and now.