The hype was deafening, the radar gun was blinking triple digits, and the stage was set for a dazzling debut. But instead of a dominant showcase, Roki Sasaki’s much-anticipated outing left more questions than answers. With blazing speed but shaky control, the young fireballer’s performance hinted at brilliance—if only his form, stamina, and nerves could keep up.

Roki Sasaki’s performance was the one that most of the Dodgers fans were waiting for. As he started game 2, some big questions and criticisms came his way about his control and whether he could be an elite-level pitcher like Yu Darvish and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. One former Japanese manager named Tatsuro Hirooka had his take too, but it was a bit harsher than imagined.

He said, “Sasaki looks like a glass ace. Throwing pitches like that without a fully developed body will only lead to injury, that’s the real concern.” To an extent the Japanese legend is right. Roki Sasaki still has a lot to improve on and that is just the start. But he thinks that Sasaki made a mistake by leaving Japan early for the MLB. He said, “He should have stayed in Japan and built a body capable of competing in MLB before crossing the ocean.”

He thinks that Roki Sasaki’s body is fragile, and Sasaki will need to mainly work on his core and lower body strength. He also says that he is confident in the Dodgers and their management, as they will surely improve Sasaki and get him to the level some other great pitchers are. If Sasaki is truly the next great Japanese ace, the Dodgers have their work cut out for them. Raw talent alone won’t keep him on the mound—his body needs to catch up with his arm. For now, he’s throwing 100-mph fastballs on a 75-mph frame, and that’s a recipe for headlines, not longevity.

Roki Sasaki shares his view on the Tokyo Series and his game

The Dodgers’ Tokyo Series wasn’t just about Shohei Ohtani’s homecoming or Kike Hernandez’s big swings—it had a fresh plot twist. Enter Roki Sasaki, Japan’s latest pitching sensation, who strutted onto the mound with all eyes on him. His debut was a cocktail of nerves, raw talent, and a few misplaced fastballs. But hey, even prodigies need a warm-up round. Sasaki has been the youngster that most of the MLB has been talking about, and he just pitched his first game.

After the game, when asked about how the game went and his experience, he had nothing but good things to say. Roki Sasaki said, “I felt like I usually do. I threw with a good nervousness. I’m glad I was able to pitch in front of the Japanese fans. They created an amazing environment that is unique to Japan, and it is different than it will be in America.” Sasaki had nothing but gratitude towards the Japanese fans for showing up and supporting him. The nervousness showed while he was pitching because he was not able to control his pitches very well. He says that it was a good thing that it showed up; he can improve on it early and make a greater impact.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts backed this sentiment, noting, “I think there was some nerves, understandably so. The velocity was good. But I thought the command—I think the emotions, the adrenaline—was hard to reign in. But in that third inning, he made some big pitches for us” Dave Roberts says that the talent is there and the 3rd innings showed it but there are some aspects of the game that Roki Sasaki will have to improve on.

Roki Sasaki’s debut was a mix of brilliance and jitters—one moment, he was Japan’s next great ace; the next, he was searching for the strike zone like a lost tourist in Shibuya. But if raw talent is the currency of greatness, he’s already rich. Now, it’s just a matter of refining it—because in the MLB, potential only gets you so far.