Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on August 8, 2026, that Roki Sasaki will start Monday and Blake will start Tuesday as the club looks to get back on track. "Scoo will go on Monday. Blake will go on Tuesday," Roberts said during a press conference.
Roberts also addressed Tarik Skubal's upcoming home debut, noting he will make his first start at Dodger Stadium in a Dodgers uniform. "This guy is uh something special," Roberts said of Skubal. He added that Sasaki's in-game experience, including closing duties the previous year, has made him better equipped to handle any pitching role, pointing to his willingness to inherit or take on the closer role.
On the state of the pitching staff, Roberts explained that the rotation now has enough pieces to go on a run but still needs good defense and run support behind the starters. He noted the team's best available pitchers, roughly 12 or 13, will fill roles regardless of position, stating, "It's going to be our what, 12, 13 best pitchers. And that's kind of how we've done it."
Roberts also gave an update on Freddie Freeman, confirming he is in the lineup after avoiding serious injury from a pitch that hit his hand. Roberts mentioned he talked to Freeman, who said he feels good with a little soreness but is ready to go. On Shohei Ohtani, Roberts acknowledged he had no update, saying, "I haven't seen him either. So, I'm going to dig on an update on when we're going to do this, but I I don't know right now."
Looking back at the recent series in Chicago, Roberts noted the team lost the final game but took a positive five-run inning out of it, occurring in the eighth inning. "That five run inning was good. A lot of good things happened," he said. He also described a private check-in conversation he had with his right fielder, Kyle, saying he called him into his office simply to catch up personally rather than discuss performance directly, mentioning he had run into Kyle's wife and baby that morning. Roberts characterized group's response to the recent losing stretch as calm rather than alarmed, stating, "It's not a panic situation. It's kind of just regroup today and try to win a baseball game."