At Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, few storylines loom larger this spring than the uncertain yet tantalizing trajectory of Roki Sasaki, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ electric right hander whose ceiling remains ace caliber despite a turbulent introduction to Major League Baseball.

Sasaki arrived from Japan amid extraordinary anticipation, courted by nearly every contender across the league and widely regarded as one of the most gifted arms of his generation.

Yet his rookie campaign as a starter unfolded far differently than many projected.

Across eight starts, Sasaki posted a 4.72 ERA while issuing walks to 14.3 percent of opposing hitters, a rate that doubled the major league average and undermined his otherwise explosive arsenal.

Compounding those struggles, his velocity dipped noticeably before a shoulder injury forced him to the injured list for three months.

What followed, however, reframed his narrative.

Reintroduced as a high leverage reliever late in the season, Sasaki rediscovered dominance with his devastating fastball splitter combination.

In nine postseason relief appearances, he delivered a 0.84 ERA, recorded three saves, and permitted just 11 of 43 batters to reach base.

For a Dodgers bullpen in urgent need of stability, he became a revelation.

Still, the relief success illuminated a larger truth.

If Sasaki intends to reclaim a rotation role and sustain it across 162 games, his development must extend beyond two elite pitches.

“Just adding a repertoire is going to be important against righties,” Sasaki said through an interpreter following Sunday’s workout.

“The sliders that I threw last year weren’t good. Results wise, it wasn’t good, too.”

On the surface, data offered partial reassurance.

Opponents posted a modest .283 expected slugging percentage against his slider during his time as a starter.

But context reveals nuance.

Sasaki deployed the pitch only 16.3 percent of the time, according to Baseball Savant, limiting its evaluative clarity.

Scouting assessments suggested the pitch lacked consistent bite and depth.

Without a reliable third offering, hitters could increasingly narrow their focus to the fastball and splitter combination.

His fastball, though frequently eclipsing triple digits, carries relatively flat plane characteristics that render it more hittable when command wavers.

This spring, Sasaki’s emphasis centers on refinement.

He is experimenting with both cutters and sliders, weighing which pitch best complements his foundational repertoire.

“I’d like to focus more on the gyro spin slider,” he noted, referencing a harder breaking ball whose movement is influenced heavily by gravity and late tilt.

The eventual addition of a two seamer designed to run inside on right handed hitters could further diversify his sequencing.

The Dodgers remain optimistic.

General manager Brandon Gomes indicated that health likely hindered Sasaki for much of last season.

“Last year, I don’t think he was ever really in a great spot health wise until the end of the year,” Gomes said.

The early returns in camp have been encouraging.

“All of the stuff we’ve seen so far, he looks really, really good,” Gomes added.

Bullpen sessions have reportedly featured sharper pitch movement, including improved cutter and sinker variations.

If Sasaki executes his fastball and splitter at peak capability, Gomes believes the foundation alone is formidable.

Anything layered on top could elevate him into upper tier territory.

Late season mechanical adjustments and a streamlined pitch mix sparked his bullpen transformation.

Yet even that surge came with caution.

By the conclusion of the Dodgers’ World Series run, team officials believed Sasaki appeared fatigued, contributing to a strategic parade of starting pitchers during Game 7.

Durability now emerges as central objective.

Sasaki acknowledges that last year’s shortcomings stemmed less from league caliber and more from self management.

“Reflecting back on my last year, I felt like I just stumbled with my own responsibility,” he said.

He rejected the notion that Major League hitters overwhelmed him.

Instead, he pointed to controllable variables that slipped beyond discipline.

His second spring training carries a renewed mindset shaped by postseason affirmation.

The relief success proved that his raw ability translates at the highest level.

Now the challenge is sustainability.

“My goal is to be able to pitch throughout the entire season,” Sasaki emphasized.

Longevity, not flash dominance, defines the threshold between intriguing arm and dependable starter.

For the Dodgers, the calculus is straightforward.

If Sasaki evolves into a rotation fixture, their already formidable pitching infrastructure becomes even more imposing.

If he stalls, his bullpen value still offers leverage utility.

But the franchise did not invest in Sasaki merely for situational relief dominance.

They envision a durable frontline contributor capable of anchoring October aspirations.

This spring will not finalize that determination.

Yet each bullpen session, each sharpened breaking ball, nudges the narrative forward.

In Phoenix, the wild card remains undeniable.

So too does the potential reward.