"Straight Talk" is a regular feature in which The Sporting Tribune's John E. Gibson offers a full translation of media availability with Dodgers Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. He will also help translate when Clippers star Rui Hachimura and L.A. Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida are asked questions in Japanese.
The job of interpreters in the heat of the moment is difficult without the ability to write down questions and answers and re-hear responses for proper context. That's where John comes in to help. John currently works as a Japanese-English interpreter and covered pro baseball in Japan for about 20 years. His experience as a sports reporter includes stints at The Orange County Register, The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, The Redlands Daily Facts, The Yomiuri Shimbun’s English newspaper in Tokyo and The Epoch Times.
"I was able to locate my splitter really well."
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) July 25, 2026
Roki Sasaki (W (4-5), 7.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 94 P) talks with the media after the #Dodgers 4-2 win over the Mets. Get closer to the action with SNLA+, with the MLB app. 🔗: https://t.co/3Pk48S45KS pic.twitter.com/0rVWtuwmuS
NEW YORK – Roki Sasaki (4-5) continues his outstanding road trip by hurling seven one-run innings, allowing three hits and two walks, while fanning nine as the Los Angeles Dodgers ease past the host New York Mets 4-2 on Friday night. The right-hander only surrenders a second-inning solo blast to Luis Robert Jr. and the L.A. offense responds later to help Sasaki earn his fourth victory, this coming off a strong performance at Yankee Stadium a week prior.
Q: Roki, after your last outing at Yankee Stadium, you talked about the mechanical changes you made and how you believed they would lead to just a more repeatable, a more comfortable delivery. How did you see the results today just prove just that?
Sasaki: Well, I didn’t have the velocity I had the last time out, but the splitter was landing in good spots for me. And all throughout the game, (Dalton) Rushing did a great job of calling pitches, and I was able to deliver the pitches where they were called.
Q: When you look at how good the splitter was, was there something specific that you point to or do you think there was something that led to just the sharpness of that pitch?
Sasaki: Well, it was dropping really well and I was able to locate it. But I think it was good to be able to consistently throw well, and that includes sequencing.
Q: How much more confidence have you gotten throwing that pitch since how you changed how you threw it a couple of months ago?
Sasaki: To be honest, there hasn’t been that much change, but the splitter has been good recently and that makes me feel better. And because of that, it has been a reason why I have been able to relax over the course of a game and just go out and pitch. In terms of that, I’m feeling better about things.
Q: Roki, you got a lot of chase on pitches outside the zone tonight, what do you think led to that?
Sasaki: I was able to keep the ball over the plate and the drop on the pitch was good, so I think it was a combination of those two things.