Roki Sasaki Unveils Mysterious New Pitch During Spring Training Debut

"Sasaki did, however, unveil the hidden third pitch that he was hinting at adding. The pitch is a cutter, which he threw seven times during the game. It has been referred to as a "gyro-slider" or "gyro-cutter" by some, but regardless of how it is described, it is meant to provide lateral movement to complement his fastball and vertically dropping splitter."

"He has problems with velocity consistency and location, and his pitch arsenal consists of only two legitimate pitches. After a rough handful of starts, he was placed on the injured list, where he remained for months before coming back towards the end of the regular season. Upon his return, he became a dominant reliever, but he aspires to be a quality starter."

Roki Sasaki enters the season with high expectations following a turbulent rookie year marked by velocity and location inconsistencies. Initially placed on the injured list for months, he emerged as a dominant reliever but aspires to be a quality starter, aligning with the Dodgers' vision for him. During Spring Training, Sasaki unveiled a new cutter pitch, referred to as a gyro-slider or gyro-cutter, designed to provide lateral movement complementing his fastball and splitter. He also increased his use of sinkers, expanding his pitch options to give hitters different looks and improve his viability as a starter.

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