Roki Sasaki’s late-season revival with the Dodgers came after a brutal stretch and a shoulder scare. A week of candid debriefs yielded a mechanical tweak—a flexed back leg that delayed pelvis rotation—reviving velocity above 98 mph and sharpening a brutal splitter. Recast as a bullpen weapon, Sasaki stitched together three clean big‑league outings, cementing a high‑leverage role as LA eye’s October glory and delivering a blueprint for how talent, trust, and tailored coaching can flip a season.

The Dodgers’ patient, player‑first approach, led by Hill and Walsh, turned a struggling rookie into a must‑watch closer contender. The result isn’t just a postseason spark; it’s a case study in how modern staffs diagnose, communicate, and deploy to maximize an elite arm when it matters most.

Dodgers rally from a 0-3 hole to beat Philadelphia, riding a seven-game win streak into October as Roki Sasaki seals the deal in his playoff debut. Shohei Ohtani joins him in history, creating the first Japanese-born starter/reliever duo to win and save in the same postseason game. A late-shift in the bullpen, sparked by Sasaki after Glasnow faded in the 8th, pays off in dramatic fashion.

The moment underscores LA's bullpen depth and the rising importance of high-leverage relievers in big games. Sasaki’s 100.1 mph heater and clutch ninth inning signal a new weapon for October, while Glasnow's near three-inning save decision adds a touch of risk-reward intrigue to postseason management.

Postseason baseball reverts to traditional extra innings rules: no automatic runner on second. The Tigers–Mariners 2-2 tilt shows the contrast with the regular season’s speed-up gimmick and underscores how longer innings test bullpen depth and late-game decision-making.

The piece also nods to historic milestones by Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, signaling baseball’s evolution beyond the playoff rule debate and toward a broader era of record-setting moments.