SPORTS

Guardians End Dodgers' Perfect Start; Sasaki Shows Promise

PUBLISHED Mar 31, 2026, 1:26 AM ET

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Media Bias Meter

Sources: 6

Left 17%

Center 83%

Sources: 6

LOS ANGELES. The Cleveland Guardians beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Monday as Parker Messick tossed six scoreless innings and Cleveland scored three runs in the seventh; Dodgers' offense managed two ninth-inning runs but fell short, ending Los Angeles' 3-0 season start. The loss ended the Dodgers' early unbeaten run and left questions about Roki Sasaki's command despite his 99.5 mph fastball and a new cutter; Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sasaki can build confidence from this start as the team evaluates rotation decisions this week.

By Yusra M. | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Mid-March: Roki Sasaki struggled through spring training, issuing numerous walks.
Late March: Dodgers won opening series and began regular season 3-0.
Monday: Guardians defeated Dodgers 4-2; Messick provided six scoreless innings.
Monday night: Sasaki threw into the fifth inning, touching 99.5 mph and using a cutter.
This week: Dodgers and coaching staff will review Sasaki’s outing and plan subsequent starts.

News Intelligence

The Dodgers' perfect start is over, but there's a new player to watch. Roki Sasaki's fastball and cutter show promise despite some control issues. If you're a Dodgers fan, keep an eye on how Sasaki's role evolves in the team's rotation.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 6
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 5
Distribution:: Left 17%, Center 83%, Right 0%

Who Benefited

The Cleveland Guardians and Parker Messick benefited from effective pitching and timely offense, securing a 4-2 victory that ended the Dodgers' perfect start and provided momentum for the Guardians' rotation.

Who Impacted

The Los Angeles Dodgers experienced their first loss of the season and exposed command inconsistencies for Roki Sasaki, prompting renewed evaluation of his readiness for sustained rotation duty.