Dodgers vs. Nationals Preview: Sunday, April 5 Matchup

This article recaps Roki Sasaki’s second start of the week as the Dodgers wrap their weekend series with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

After a season-opening outing against the Cleveland Guardians, Sasaki showed encouraging signs. He delivered four innings, four strikeouts, and two walks, with 45 strikes thrown to 33 balls.

That’s a big improvement over a rough spring training. It gave Los Angeles a clearer sense of what Sasaki might bring early in the season.

Sasaki’s Week-Opening Start: What It Signaled

In his first appearance of the year, Sasaki went four innings and allowed just one run. That’s a promising sign from a pitcher who spent the spring sorting out command.

He managed to throw nearly half his pitches for strikes—45 strikes to 33 balls. For a Dodgers club banking on his upside, the debut offered a quick glimpse of his potential as a rotation piece as April gets rolling.

There’s still a learning curve for Sasaki, especially when runners reach base. But the trajectory looks good.

The four strikeouts and two walks in his first start set some early benchmarks: attack hitters, trust the arsenal, and compete through four innings even against tough lineups. The line isn’t perfect, but it’s a step forward from a spring where Sasaki struggled with consistency.

With a second start lined up this week, he’s got a real chance to build momentum heading into a stretch that could shape his season.

Key numbers from his opener

Series Finale Details and Opponent Spotlight

On the mound for the Nationals in the series finale: left-hander Foster Griffin. Sasaki will need to find a way through that match-up as he tries to keep making headlines for Los Angeles.

The game’s set for 10:35 a.m. Pacific Time and closes out the Dodgers’ weekend set in D.C. It’s another shot for Sasaki to keep building on the momentum from his first start.

The Nationals Park atmosphere brings some extra wrinkles—crowd noise, late-inning pressure, and the question of whether Sasaki can hold onto his gains against a new opponent with fresh scouting reports. For the Dodgers, it’s more than a series finale; it’s a shot to find some steadiness in the rotation and keep Sasaki moving toward being a steady contributor as April grinds on.

What to watch in Sasaki’s second start

• Command under pressure: Can Sasaki keep attacking the strike zone with runners on and in tough counts?
• Fastball and movement: How does his velocity and location look the second time around?
• Secondary offerings: Will his breaking ball and sequencing help him miss bats early in counts?
• Durability: Is four innings the baseline, or can he push deeper as the season goes?
• Dodgers’ approach: How will the team use him alongside bullpen arms as the schedule tightens up?
• Griffin’s challenge: What tweaks will Sasaki need to make against a lefty starter who mixes speeds and keeps hitters guessing?

Broadcast, Timing and Following the Game

First pitch time is set for 10:35 a.m. PT, with television coverage on SportsNet LA.

If you’re listening in, AM 570 will carry English radio, while KTNQ 1020 AM has the Spanish feed. Dodgers fans can follow Sasaki’s progress live as he tries to build on a solid debut and settle into the season.

Momentum outlook: Sasaki’s trajectory and Dodgers expectations

The Dodgers want more depth in their rotation, and Sasaki’s early-week outing really shows how that could happen. He stayed aggressive, worked efficiently, and made his case by throwing quality innings when the team needed them.

If he keeps building on that this week, maybe he becomes a trusted option for the Dodgers sooner than anyone expected. It’s not out of the question—his debut looked promising, and there’s a real chance he turns into a steady, high-upside piece in the rotation.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Dodgers on Deck: Sunday, April 5 at Nationals