Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing gets honest about Roki Sasaki after Rangers loss

The Los Angeles Dodgers missed another series sweep opportunity on Sunday afternoon after falling 5-2 to the Texas Rangers, with rookie catcher Dalton Rushing offering a measured assessment of Roki Sasaki after another uneven outing.

Sasaki allowed two runs on five hits and five walks across four innings while striking out a career-high six batters. He also generated 15 whiffs, another career best, but needed 94 pitches (53 strikes) to complete just four frames. Ten of the 22 batters he faced reached base. The right-hander’s strike-zone rate sat at 40%, below the league average of 49%, and he has now issued 10 walks over 13 innings this season while carrying a 6.23 ERA and 1.846 WHIP.

Despite the traffic, Sasaki limited damage to a two-run third inning, when Evan Carter hit a leadoff homer, and Josh Smith drove in an RBI single. He showed pockets of efficiency, including a first inning in which he struck out the side after allowing the first two hitters to reach. His secondary pitches were effective, particularly a slider that produced a 45.5% whiff rate.

“I don’t think it was a bad outing at all,” Rushing said postgame. “It’s kind of the same thing. We just have to lean on really attacking hitters a little more and getting ahead. I think that changes the counts facing hitters and also gets a little more chase. You see what he did, obviously, with runners on and getting ahead with the splitter, getting ahead with the cutter, getting a little more miss on his fastball, getting miss on the splitter.”

"I don't think it was a bad outing at all… we just have to lean on really attacking hitters a little more and getting ahead."

Dalton Rushing (1-4, 2B, R) speaks to the media on Roki Sasaki's outing, after the #Dodgers fall to the Rangers, losing 5-2. pic.twitter.com/yRoQ30zu77

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 12, 2026

Offensively, Shohei Ohtani got things going right away, launching a first-pitch, 97.9 mph fastball from Jacob deGrom for his fifth home run of the season and 26th career leadoff homer. The blast extended Ohtani’s on-base streak to 46 games, the fifth-longest in Los Angeles history. However, that was the only run allowed by deGrom, who struck out nine over six innings while giving up four hits and three walks.

The Dodgers finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Kyle Tucker singled in a run in the seventh, but the bullpen broke down late, combining to allow three runs and five walks. Overall, Los Angeles pitchers issued 10 walks, their highest total of the season.

Sasaki has now pitched beyond four innings just once in three starts this year, continuing a trend from last season when he completed more than four innings in only half of his eight outings before injury. For the Dodgers, improving his command and consistency remains a priority as they continue their homestand with a three-game series against the New York Mets beginning Monday.

The post Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing gets honest about Roki Sasaki after Rangers loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.