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Roki Sasaki, Freddie Freeman save Dave Roberts, Dodgers after questionable late-game move
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- Roki Sasaki, Freddie Freeman save Dave Roberts, Dodgers after questionable late-game move
The post Roki Sasaki, Freddie Freeman save Dave Roberts, Dodgers after questionable late-game move appeared first on ClutchPoints .
After watching his pitchers take care of business for much of Game 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, Dave Roberts thought his lead was safe enough to divert from recent trends and go with Blake Treinen over Roki Sasaki as his closer .
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Technically a save situation up 4-1, the Dodgers just needed three outs to close out the contest, but Treinen, one of the Dodgers' most inconsistent pitchers during the regular season, has been anything but a sure thing when the ball is in his hands. Treinen was hammered early on, with Alec Bohm singling on three pitches, JT Realmuto doubling on five, and Nick Castellanos making the play of the game with a chopper out to left-center field, scoring two and improbably getting a safe call at second base thanks to a minor gaffe from Tommy Edman .
Fans understandably were upset, as even two outs from Alex Vesia didn't get the Dodgers out of their game, but with NL batting title holder Trea Turner going up to the plate, Roberts made it right, putting Sasaki into the game to close things out.
Taking the mound for only his second career save oppotunity, including the first time he's ever pitched with runners already on the diamond at the MLB level, Sasaki took care of business, throwing a ball on a 84 mph splitter outside before getting Turner to ground out on a 99 mph four-seamer up the middle for the final out, even if Freddie Freeman had to really stretch out get it .
Should Treinen be allowed to pitch for the Dodgers again in 2025, especially since hitters have clearly figured his stuff out? That's a matter of debate, but when it's the ninth inning, he should be sitting in the locker room in street clothes, as that inning should belong to Sasaki for the foreseeable future.
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