Guardians End Dodgers' Perfect Start; Sasaki Shows Promise
PUBLISHED Mar 31, 2026, 1:26 AM ET
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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.
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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.
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.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
No one needed Roki Sasaki's Dodgers building block start more than Sasaki himself
The New York TimesFrom Center
Guardians End Dodgers' Perfect Start; Sasaki Shows Promise
WHAS 11 Louisville Winnipeg Free Press TSN ESPN.com ABC7From Right
No right-leaning sources found for this story.
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