Dodgers' Roki Sasaki: Struggles in first rehab outing

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Sasaki (shoulder) tossed two-plus innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk with zero strikeouts.

The outing was Sasaki's first game action since he went four innings in a start for the big-league Dodgers against Arizona on May 9. The right-hander needed 41 pitches Wednesday to retire six batters, and he departed after allowing the first two batters he faced in the third frame to reach base. While he reportedly hit 97 mph with his fastball in a sim game last week, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register, Sasaki's velocity settled in the 93-94 mph range in the rehab outing and topped out at 95.7 mph while inducing just two whiffs. Though this was an important step for Sasaki in his quest to return to the majors before the end of the season, the results suggest that he has a ways to go before he's ready to face big-league hitters again.