From baseball boot camp for interpreters to the team’s director of Japanese player operations and strategy, L.A. goes to great lengths to maximize the talents of its Japanese players.

Roki Sasaki sensed an opportunity to boost a Dodgers team in desperate need of relief depth. And, having finally found a comfort level with his new club, he’d regained his confidence.

Roki Sasaki spent most of the season searching for his missing velocity. He rediscovered all 100 mph at just the right time.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged on Tuesday that he has a new leading candidate to pitch the ninth inning: rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki. Sasaki, 23, has already earned the save in both of the Dodgers' wins in their National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The only reason there's any doubt whether the Dodgers will repeat as World Series champions is because of their heart-attack-inducing bullpen, and now that group has started taking shape.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a resounding 2-0 lead in the NLCS, but the series was almost split with the Milwaukee Brewers after rookie reliever Roki Sasa