LOS ANGELES — For months, fans only saw the numbers.

Shootings lacking the desired speed.

Inconsistent games.

The questions grew about whether Roki Sasaki could become the superstar the Los Angeles Dodgers had placed their faith in.

But now, as the Japanese star gradually regains his form and consistently delivers crucial victories for the Dodgers, a little-known truth has been revealed by himself.

Roki Sasaki wasn’t just battling batters in Major League Baseball.

He also had to battle feeling lost in a completely new world.

“I didn’t understand what people wanted from me.”

That’s Sasaki’s striking statement as he reflects on his early days in America.

According to the 24-year-old pitcher, the most difficult thing wasn’t the demanding schedule, the cross-country flights, or the quality of the opponents in MLB.

What overwhelmed him most was the cultural difference.

“Nobody tells you about the culture,” Sasaki admitted when talking about his early days with the Dodgers. He said he often didn’t understand how to communicate with the American media, didn’t know what people expected in interviews, and often felt misunderstood.

It was a shock for a player once considered a prodigy of Japanese baseball.

Back home, Sasaki was an icon.

He was the one who threw the historic perfect game.

He was a phenomenon with a ball speed exceeding 100 mph that astonished the world.

But in Los Angeles, he had to start almost from scratch.

Things became even more difficult when the 2026 season started off unexpectedly.

Problems with pitching mechanics, inconsistent ball control, and the pressure of immense expectations presented Sasaki with numerous challenges. A subsequent shoulder injury further disrupted his adaptation to the new environment.

But inside the Dodgers’ locker room, his teammates saw a completely different person.

Not the quiet guy who usually appeared in front of the cameras.

Not the stern face on the court.

According to strength and conditioning coach Travis Smith, Sasaki was actually a very funny person.

“He talks a lot. He’s not quiet at all like everyone thinks,” Smith revealed with a delighted smile.

That moment of opening up to his teammates became a turning point.

When the language barrier was gradually broken down.

When Sasaki felt more comfortable with life in America.

When he stopped trying to be a perfect version of himself in everyone’s eyes.

A new Roki Sasaki is beginning to emerge.

And the results are quickly reflected on the court.

In May, the Japanese pitcher recorded an ERA of 3.18, showing significant consistency compared to the early part of the season. Dodgers coaches also noted a clear improvement in his communication and ability to receive professional feedback.

In one of the season’s most impressive performances, Sasaki completely dominated the Los Angeles Angels’ offense with 7 innings, only allowing 1 run, and making 8 strikeouts.

That game reminded many of the “Iwate Monster” who once shook Japanese baseball.

But the biggest change wasn’t in ball speed.

Not in the number of strikeouts.

But in confidence.

In the game against the Philadelphia Phillies last month, Sasaki even averaged a fastball speed of 98.5 mph and repeatedly reached 100 mph. Experts noted that this was the first time since arriving in the U.S. that he truly looked like himself.

Dave Roberts has also repeatedly urged fans to be patient.

According to the Dodgers’ head coach, many people are placing too much expectation on a player who is still very young and lacks professional experience compared to what the public imagines.

And perhaps that’s the scariest thing for Sasaki.

Not the home runs.

Not the losses.

But the burden of living under the shadow of enormous expectations from the day he arrived in the U.S.

Now, after months of struggle, Roki Sasaki is finally rediscovering his “swagger”—the confidence and style that once made him a global phenomenon.

The Dodgers see more than just victories.

They are witnessing a star come of age.

A player learning to adapt to a new culture.

A person learning to be himself.

And if what has happened over the past month is a sign of the future, the most terrifying part of Roki Sasaki is perhaps yet to come.

That is when he no longer feels lost.

And MLB will have to face the best version of the “Japanese Monster”.