Roki Sasaki's 23 starts this season are a professional career-high. Todd Kirkland / Getty ImagesAug. 26, 2026 Updated 9:20 pm EDTATLANTA — Roki Sasaki, who is in the midst of his best sustained stretch in Major League Baseball, exited his start for the Los Angeles Dodgers after just 66 pitches on Wednesday night after trainer Thomas Albert examined Sasaki’s bloodied right middle finger.The Dodgers said Sasaki exited with a blister, something the right-hander has a history of. Sasaki has been dominant in six starts since the All-Star break, with a 2.31 ERA in 35 innings while showcasing his revamped arsenal and improved fastball shape. The second-year starter ran into some trouble Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves, as three of the first four batters reached against him to start the fourth inning before pitching coach Mark Prior and interpreter Will Ireton came out for a mound visit.Albert and manager Dave Roberts quickly followed from the dugout. Sasaki exited after a brief discussion during which Albert and the staff appeared to be looking at his hand. Edgardo Henriquez entered for Sasaki. Both runners Sasaki left on base scored when Teoscar Hernández overran Drake Baldwin’s fly ball in left field, playing it into a two-run double that gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead and raised Sasaki’s ERA to 4.60 on the season.Sasaki is not projected to slot into the Dodgers’ postseason rotation, but is expected to be a prominent part of their plans in relief just as he was during their 2025 World Series run. Sasaki still was hopeful to go wire-to-wire this regular season as a starting pitcher, particularly after a disastrous spring and an April that prompted a question of whether Sasaki would be better off pitching in the minors.The Japanese right-hander’s 23 starts are a professional career-high, and his 119 1/3 innings pitched are his most in a season since he threw 129 1/3 innings for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2022.