Dodgers rely on Sasaki as late-season closer in postseason

Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old right-hander the Los Angeles Dodgers signed from Japan last offseason, has emerged as a decisive postseason weapon after a rocky start to his major league career. Sasaki, who missed large portions of the regular season with a shoulder injury and struggled in his early big league starts, was shifted to the bullpen late in September and has since recorded multiple high-leverage saves to help send the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series.

Sasaki’s move to relief followed a May shoulder injury that sidelined him for months and interrupted his adjustment from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball. His few early starts produced uneven results, but upon returning from the injured list the Dodgers elected to limit his workload and deploy his high-velocity fastball in shorter stints. That change paid immediate dividends in October. Sasaki closed out a wild-card series win over Cincinnati and then delivered spotless late-inning work in the NL Division Series against Philadelphia, including two one-inning saves and a three-inning, no-hit effort in the series-clinching game.

Manager Dave Roberts has lauded Sasaki’s composure and...