Sasaki Roki is set to begin his rehab games, aiming for a return by late August or early September.

After a lengthy break from competition, Sasaki Roki is just a few steps away from returning to Major League Baseball for his rookie season.

Head coach Dave Roberts stated that Sasaki will start his minor league rehab games next Friday, Beijing time, at the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate. His goal is to pitch three full innings in his first rehab start.

Since May 14, Sasaki Roki has been on the injured list due to right shoulder impingement syndrome, and he was moved to the 60-day injured list on June 21. Yesterday, he faced live batters for the third time in a simulated three-inning outing, throwing about 45 pitches, with his fastball reaching 96-97 mph, completing the final step before his rehab games.

“I’m really happy that my shoulder isn’t hurting anymore,” Sasaki Roki said earlier this week through translator Will Ireton. “So I’m using this time to focus on my pitching mechanics, which is something I’m really looking forward to doing.”

During the last offseason, Sasaki was highly sought after by Major League teams as the latest Japanese pitching prodigy. The 23-year-old right-hander ultimately signed with the Dodgers, but he has yet to meet those lofty expectations, posting a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before his shoulder injury.

Since arriving in Los Angeles, Sasaki has referred to himself as a “developing player.” This was evident from his initial few Major League starts, where he showed immense potential but had inconsistencies in his pitching mechanics, leading to fluctuations in his velocity and control.

Sasaki has utilized his time on the injured list to adjust his pitching mechanics. He has begun throwing a splitter, adding another weapon to his repertoire beyond the three pitches he had earlier in the season (four-seam fastball, changeup, and slider). He has also gained muscle to enhance his physical condition.

“I think I only saw one pitch (the splitter), and it was high on the inside, so it was hard for me to judge,” said Alex Call, the outfielder who faced Sasaki yesterday. “But I could tell it looked a bit different, so hopefully that’s a good thing for him.”

Once his innings reach around five and his pitch count hits 75, Sasaki Roki should be on track to return by late August or early September.

However, Roberts emphasized that it’s not just about increasing Sasaki’s pitch count but also building his confidence. As of Friday’s live pitching practice, Roberts noted that the young right-hander is “still searching for his rhythm,” communicating with the pitching coach after each simulated inning.

The Dodgers currently have six starting pitchers on the active roster: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, and Emmet Sheehan, the latter of whom can also serve as a long reliever if needed. As long as the current group of pitchers stays healthy, the Dodgers have ample time to allow Sasaki Roki to take his time until he builds the confidence they hope to see.

“As a starting pitcher, you have to build up your pitch count,” Roberts said. “We want Sasaki to gain some confidence, real confidence, to face 22-24 batters and locate his pitches accurately. I really don’t know what that’s going to look like. But what I do know is that we have to get him back into competition, and then I think in the coming weeks, we’ll learn more.”