Thu Oct 09 03:00:00 UTC 2025: **Dodgers Pin Closing Hopes on Sasaki, Roberts Cautious About Workload**
LOS ANGELES – While not officially named the closer, Roki Sasaki is emerging as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ primary option for closing out games in the postseason, according to manager Dave Roberts. However, Roberts cautioned that Sasaki won’t be used in every save situation due to workload concerns.
“We have to win X amount of games [to secure a championship], and he’s not going to close every game,” Roberts said. “It’s just not feasible, so, you’ve got to use other guys.”
This strategy was tested in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, when Blake Treinen struggled in the ninth inning, forcing Roberts to call on Sasaki to secure the final out. The Dodgers entered the playoffs with bullpen concerns, hoping to convert starters like Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Clayton Kershaw into reliable relief options.
The Dodgers are looking for more reliability from their relief pitchers if they want to win 13 games in October. “If there’s a world where you can use five pitchers and finish a postseason and win the postseason, I think a lot of people would sign up for that,” Roberts said. “But that’s impossible. So you’ve got to use your roster at certain times and kind of pick spots where you feel best and live with whatever outcome. But that’s just the way it goes to win, for us, 13 games in October.”
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies, facing elimination in Game 3, will start veteran right-hander Aaron Nola. Manager Rob Thomson expressed confidence in Nola’s ability to perform under pressure, despite a subpar regular season.
Adding to the Phillies’ concerns, center fielder Harrison Bader’s availability is uncertain due to a hamstring strain. For the Dodgers, catcher Will Smith, recovering from a hand fracture, could potentially start Game 3, providing a strategic advantage against the Phillies’ pitching.
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