Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki admits to trying too hard in 5th inning vs. White Sox

The Los Angeles Dodgers watched a promising start unravel quickly on Friday night. Roki Sasaki looked sharp early against the Chicago White Sox before one difficult inning changed the game for the Dodgers. The young right-hander struggled through a disastrous fifth frame in an 8-2 loss. The outing raised his ERA to 4.76 through 12 appearances. As fans searched for answers after another tough night, discussions quickly focused on what went wrong and how the young arm responded.

The game looked under control early. The Dodgers kept the White Sox quiet through four innings. Then the fifth inning changed everything. Chicago scored seven runs as walks opened the door and runners kept reaching base.

After the game, Sasaki did not hide from the moment. Speaking through an interpreter in comments shared by SportsNet LA, he explained how his approach changed once pressure started to build.

"5th inning, I know I gave a lot of walks. I couldn't just get the quick outs. I was trying too hard, too much."

Roki Sasaki (L (3-4), 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 91 P) talks with the media after the #Dodgers 8-2 loss to the White Sox. Get closer to the action with SNLA+, with… pic.twitter.com/NVPwsWuIQH

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) June 13, 2026

“I didn’t want to give him a point, so I threw it with a bit of force.”

That decision came with consequences, and the Dodgers paid the price. Sasaki admitted he began pressing instead of trusting his normal process.

“I was trying to go for it with a bit of force, but it made it difficult for me to get to the zone. I think that’s why I wasn’t able to fix it.”

Roki Sasaki owns up to costly fifth inning for Dodgers

Sasaki’s honesty stood out as much as the rough stat line. Rather than blaming mechanics or bad luck, he pointed directly at his mindset. The crowd noise grew louder. The inning sped up. He tried to stop the damage all at once for the Dodgers.

“I was trying to get the quick outs, so I was trying to do too much.”

That simple admission may be the biggest takeaway for the Dodgers. Young pitchers often learn this lesson the hard way. Under the stadium lights, patience matters as much as talent.

The Dodgers still believe Roki Sasaki can be a major piece of their future. The question now is simple: how quickly can he turn this difficult night into his next breakthrough?

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