{"id":895968,"date":"2026-06-27T07:36:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T07:36:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/895968\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T07:36:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T07:36:22","slug":"roki-sasaki-struggles-with-command-early-dodgers-fall-to-padres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/895968\/","title":{"rendered":"Roki Sasaki struggles with command early, Dodgers fall to Padres"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SAN DIEGO\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The home run that Roki Sasaki<\/a> gave up to San Diego\u2019s Ty France was more dramatic than the two walks he issued to open the inning. But it was the free passes that really hurt him.<\/p>\n

In the Dodgers\u2019 7-1 loss<\/a> to the Padres on Friday, Sasaki was out of the game before he could record an out in the fifth inning. He gave up only three hits but issued five walks, tying his season high, and hit a batter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually felt different than I ever felt before, mechanically,\u201d Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo, noting that his lower body felt a little off. \u201cSo I need to go over it and see what was really happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sasaki successfully pitched around traffic for much of his outing, other than the three-run homer to France in the second inning. But the inefficiency sent his pitch count past 80 before he exited with runners on first and second in the fifth.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to have it every time out, so that\u2019s something I have to improve,\u201d Sasaki said. \u201cAnd also the game plan. I was able to execute some of the pitches, but some of the pitches I couldn\u2019t, so that\u2019s something I have to go through before next start.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, when Sasaki held the Angels<\/a> scoreless through seven two-hit innings, it seemed as if he\u2019d had a breakthrough. But in three starts since, including a seven-run dud against the Chicago White Sox two weeks ago, he has yet to pitch through the sixth inning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a little surprised, because there was such good momentum going on,\u201d manager Dave Roberts said. \u201cHopefully we can get him back to throwing the way he did in May.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Padres\u2019 Walker Buehler walks off after holding his old team to one run for 5-1\/3 innings Friday at Petco Park.<\/p>\n

(Derrick Tuskan \/ Ap Photo\/derrick Tuskan)<\/p>\n

Sasaki\u2019s command issues Friday showed up almost immediately. After striking out Padres leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr., Sasaki walked Samad Taylor on 10 pitches. But Sasaki bounced back by inducing a double play.<\/p>\n

The next inning, there would be no such escape. Sasaki walked both Manny Machado, whom he also battled for 10 pitches, and Gavin Sheets to open the frame. Then Xander Bogaerts\u2019 sharp line drive to center field found leather.<\/p>\n

France\u2019s long fly ball to left field, however, found the seats.<\/p>\n

Sasaki\u2019s only clean inning, the third, was made possible by catcher Dalton Rushing\u2019s<\/a> successful challenge of a called ball four against Tat\u00eds, flipping a walk into a strikeout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that there\u2019s confidence in there,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cBut when you feel good and you don\u2019t feel good mechanically and can\u2019t execute pitches, then the results are walks, and 1-2 [count] homers, and things like that. But I do think that we can kind of tackle the mechanical things that he\u2019s probably looking for right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Padres piled on in the eighth inning against reliever Jonathan Hernandez, as the sold-out crowd chanted \u201cBeat L.A.!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mookie Betts hit a home run off former teammate Walker Buehler for his second homer in as many games. Betts seems to have come out of his offensive funk, entering Friday with a 1.061 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the previous 11 games.<\/p>\n

Buehler earned the win, delivering five strikeouts in 5\u2153 innings.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Buehler] is reinventing himself,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cHe\u2019s throwing the kitchen sink at you. Cutter, slider, changeup, two-seamers. He doesn\u2019t just try to bully you, and he\u2019s finding ways to just get guys out. So yeah, he\u2019s gonna still go up there and compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dodgers went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and squandered a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the sixth inning after chasing Buehler. Max Muncy popped out and Kyle Tucker, back in the lineup after exiting Monday\u2019s game because of back spasms, flied out.<\/p>\n

The Dodgers have built such a big lead in the division that the loss barely made a dent. The Padres, in second place, trail by eight games.<\/p>\n

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