Ex-Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd claims Roki Sasaki as 'development project' amidst anticipated MLB debut

Fans have been anticipatingly waiting for the MLB debut of the Los Angeles Dodgers star Roki Sasaki. However, according to Dan O'Dowd, the former general manager of the Colorado Rockies, Sasaki isn't completely ready. In fact, O'Dowd recently claimed that Sasaki is a "development project" and might not be comfortable with many of the dominant pitches yet.On Sunday, ex-Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd made an appearance on "MLB Network," during which he made a striking statement on Roki Sasaki and his abilities as a pitcher heading toward his MLB debut. O'Dowd claimed that Sasaki is still developing and is yet to be comfortable on different dominant pitches. Talking about the same, he said:"What kind of blows me away is that even though he's pitched 394 innings in Japan, I still see him as a development project. Well, look at it—his highest number of innings in a season has been 129. Physically, he looks like he hasn’t come close to reaching his full maturity.""And though he has two dominant pitches, he can be a bit erratic with his fastball and is still a work in progress with his other pitches. He couldn’t have gone to a better organization because they’re so deep. They know how to transition Japanese pitchers into American baseball now," O'Dowd further added.As Dodgers prepare for Roki Sasaki's MLB debut, the team has been clearly stressed about his physical health. MLB insider Will Sammon previously shared Dodgers' concerns about Sasaki's health and said:“The Dodgers routinely churn out quality young players. But they have trouble keeping pitchers healthy. That’s a concern. And it’s something Sasaki will have to answer. Considering how much money Sasaki left on the table by choosing to play in MLB as early as he did, it’s paramount that he stays healthy before getting a shot at free agency — which won’t come again for a handful of years.”Talking about Roki Sasaki, an MLB insider recently claimed that many MLB clubs are "mad" at Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers for dealing in bad faith during his debut process.