Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki back to 100 mph thanks to curated strength program (and Justin Bieber)

Nypost · Jun 04, 2026 · 957 words · By Jack Harris

Sports Science/Strength Training Cultural Adaptation Athlete Development

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PHOENIX — When Dodgers strength coach Travis Smith first began working with Roki Sasaki at the start of last season, he quickly learned the phenom pitcher had a specific preference in the gym.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center67%

Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

PHOENIX — When Dodgers strength coach Travis Smith first began working with Roki Sasaki at the start of last season, he quickly learned the phenom pitcher had a specific preference in the gym.

Why it matters

“He doesn’t like loud music,” Smith recalled with a laugh in a recent interview with The California Post.

Common ground

So, in an effort to make the young Japanese hurler feel comfortable in his foreign surroundings, Smith came up with a new playlist for each of their training sessions together.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Sports Science/Strength Training story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that the slender 6-foot-2 prospect?
How does this story connect Sports Science/Strength Training with Cultural Adaptation over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/06/04/sports/dodgers-roki-sasaki-flourishing-with-curate…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5

check_circle Corroborated 4

verified Verified By Reference 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 1

schedule

Claim 1: “the slender 6-foot-2 prospect”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 2: “Dodgers strength coach Travis Smith first began working with Roki Sasaki at the start of last season”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms Roki Sasaki is with the Dodgers, there is no mention of a strength coach named Travis Smith or when he began working with Sasaki.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Washington Nationals season is the Nationals' 22nd season as the Major League Baseball franchise in the District of Columbia, the 19th season at Nationals Park, and the 58th since the origina…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Washington_Nationals_seas…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Below are the full rosters, including the coaching staffs, of all 30 Major League Baseball teams. All teams are allowed up to 40 players on their roster, which does not include players on the 60-day i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Major League Baseball is a professional baseball league in Canada and the United States. Players do not register with a country, so nationality is often disputed when international fixtures come aroun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Major_League_Ba…

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 3: “Sasaki’s four-month stint on the injured list last year”

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence mentions he landed on the injured list with shoulder impingement, but the specific duration of 'four months' is not explicitly corroborated across multiple sources in the provided text.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Touted Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki has landed on the injured list with right shoulder impingement.The 23-year-old from Japan joined the Dodgers in January after spending the last four years…
https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/roki-sasaki-injured-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — LOS ANGELES — Roki Sasaki is still trying to get his lost rookie season back on some sort of path. Not even the Los Angeles Dodgers, who wooed the Japanese phenom during a much-anticipated internation…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6537617/2025/08/05/dodgers-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Roki Sasaki’s shoulder issue leaves Dodgers in a familiar and problematic position.They have signed four potential frontline pitchers in the last two years, and three of them are currently on the inju…
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-05-14/dodg…

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Claim 4: “a fastball that dipped back down to the 96-97 mph range”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 5: “Sasaki is listed at 187 pounds”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found regarding Sasaki's official listed weight.

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Claim 6: “Sasaki signed with the Dodgers”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including the Los Angeles Times, AP, and Wikipedia, confirm that Roki Sasaki signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 136th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 68th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 64th season playi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers season is the 137th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 69th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 65th season playin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Roki Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木朗希, Hepburn: Sasaki Rōki; born November 3, 2001), nicknamed "the Monster of the Reiwa Era" (令和の怪物, Reiwa no Kaibutsu), is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Lo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roki_Sasaki

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 7: “unleashed a 100 mph four-seamer against Kyle Schwarber in his first at-bat of the game”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 8: “averaging a season-best 98.5 mph with the pitch”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “Sasaki still has a 4.59 ERA this season”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 10: “completed a breakout month of May with a 3.18 ERA”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

No evidence provided specifies Sasaki's ERA for the month of May.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 11: “rediscovered 100 mph life on his fastball for the first time all season”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Sasaki hit 100 mph. MLB.com reports he 'exceeded 100 mph twice' on May 30, 2026, and a Reddit source from Sep 9, 2025, notes he 'hit triple digits multiple times' with velocity noticeably up compared to his season average.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A total of 74 Japanese-born players have played in at least one Major League Baseball (MLB) game. Of these players, twelve are on existing MLB rosters. The first instance of a Japanese player playing …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_…

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+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 12: “Smith said he is now weighs in around 205”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found regarding statements from Travis Smith about Sasaki's current weight.

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Claim 13: “Sasaki returned as the team’s postseason closer last October”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Sasaki served as a closer in the postseason, specifically citing he closed out the Cincinnati Reds on October 2, 2025, to send the Dodgers to the NLDS.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — LA Dodgers Japanese pitcher Sasaki Roki has successfully transformed into a closer in the postseason.
https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-sports/2025/10/09/TBYZFKUGURDUF…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 2, 2025. With 11 electric pitches, Sasaki closed out the Cincinnati Reds 8-4 and sent the Dodgers to the National League Division Series against the Philadelph…
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6682628/2025/10/02/dodgers-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Dodgers went without a designated closer during the regular season. So they're giving an October tryout to Sasaki, who signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January, receiving a $6.5 mill…
https://www.ksl.com/article/51385429/dodgers-might-have-foun…

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Claim 14: “his velocity plummeted while battling an early-season shoulder injury”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm Sasaki landed on the injured list with 'right shoulder impingement' and that he was trying to get his 'lost rookie season back,' implying a struggle with performance/velocity due to the injury.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Roki Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木朗希, Hepburn: Sasaki Rōki; born November 3, 2001), nicknamed "the Monster of the Reiwa Era" (令和の怪物, Reiwa no Kaibutsu), is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Lo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roki_Sasaki

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 18 hours ago · The Los Angeles Dodgers could face a decision involving starting pitcher Roki Sasaki.
https://athlonsports.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/dodgers-rok…

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web search NEUTRAL — Nov 3, 2001 · View the profile of Los Angeles Dodgers Starting Pitcher Roki Sasaki on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/5134638/roki-sasaki

verified

Claim 15: “Sasaki struck out seven batters against the Phillies”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Evidence mentions Sasaki playing against the Phillies in the context of the 2025/2026 seasons, but no specific box score or report confirms he struck out exactly seven batters in a particular game against them.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was the best-of-seven playoff in Major League Baseball's 2025 postseason between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_National_League_Champions…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 143rd season in the history of the franchise, and its 22nd season at Citizens Bank Park. On June 12, the Phillies trailed the Mets by 5.5 games for the di…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Philadelphia_Phillies_sea…

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.