Roki Sasaki’s Unfiltered Questions Raise Eyebrows Amidst Dodgers’ Injury Crisis: Are They Lying to Us About Everything?

Roki Sasaki has never been afraid of the spotlight. Japan’s electric young pitcher, often heralded as one of the most tantalizing international prospects in modern baseball, has always let his fastball speak volumes. But lately, it hasn’t just been his pitching making headlines—it’s been his voice, his words, and perhaps even more provocatively, his questions.

As the Los Angeles Dodgers sink deeper into yet another injury-riddled campaign, the silence around their internal issues has grown deafening. The team’s front office insists everything is under control, spinning the narrative of “routine setbacks” and “cautious timelines” with the finesse of a seasoned PR machine. But for Sasaki, that line no longer seems good enough.

In a tense and unfiltered media session following a recent team loss—one that saw another starting pitcher scratched last minute with what the team described as “minor tightness”—Sasaki let the world know how he felt.

“Are they lying to us?” he asked bluntly, his words slicing through the polished veneer of the Dodgers’ injury management strategy. “How many of us are really OK? How much are they not saying?”

Those words, translated with unnerving clarity from Japanese, ignited a flurry of speculation, backlash, and—perhaps most importantly—support from fellow players. The media focused on the sensationalism of the quote, but insiders immediately recognized something more serious: a fracture between the clubhouse and the front office. One that may have been quietly forming for months.

Injuries have plagued the Dodgers throughout the first half of the season. What was supposed to be a juggernaut rotation featuring Shohei Ohtani’s eventual return, Walker Buehler’s comeback, Tyler Glasnow’s resurgence, and perhaps even Sasaki’s long-awaited MLB debut, has instead unraveled into inconsistency, confusion, and constant reshuffling. Glasnow has missed time, Buehler’s return has been delayed, and Sasaki himself has seen limited usage, his innings managed with all the transparency of a magician’s trick.

“It’s not about being hurt,” Sasaki continued during that same media scrum. “It’s about how the truth keeps changing. They say one thing, then another. We’re expected to trust that, to follow orders. But trust needs truth.”

It’s rare—almost unheard of—for a rookie or international player to speak with such candor in a league known for its culture of deference and controlled messaging. But Sasaki isn’t just another rookie. In Japan, he was a phenom. In the eyes of his homeland, he already carries the weight of a nation’s pride. In Los Angeles, where expectations are as high as the payroll, his emergence was supposed to mark the beginning of a new era.

Instead, Sasaki has become a lightning rod for a broader conversation.

Is the Dodgers’ medical staff being fully honest with the players? Are workloads being communicated clearly? Are the timelines offered to fans rooted in truth, or in keeping panic at bay? These are questions that now circulate in hushed tones among players and analysts alike.

This isn’t the first time the Dodgers’ handling of injuries has come under scrutiny. For years, they’ve carefully curated an image of next-man-up resilience. Their player development system is lauded as one of the best in the league. But recent seasons have begun to raise eyebrows. Pitchers have seen sudden usage changes, rehab assignments have dragged on without explanation, and star players have returned only to re-injure themselves weeks later.

Now, with Sasaki asking the questions no one else will, the façade is cracking.

One source close to the team suggested there has been internal friction brewing for months. “Roki just said out loud what a lot of guys have been thinking,” the source said, requesting anonymity to protect their position. “This isn’t just about one player. It’s about a pattern. Guys getting different stories from the training staff, from coaches, from the front office. It wears on you.”

Sasaki’s own situation has only deepened the intrigue. The Dodgers made a significant financial and symbolic investment in bringing him over from Japan, securing one of the most hyped international free agents in recent memory. But since arriving in the U.S., Sasaki’s appearances have been tightly rationed. Some of that is expected—adjusting to MLB routines, protecting a young arm, avoiding overexposure. But the secrecy around his exact physical status, his usage schedule, and even his communication with coaches has prompted speculation that all may not be well.

And now he’s asking if anyone’s being told the truth.

The Dodgers have responded in predictable fashion—emphasizing their commitment to player health, transparency, and competitive excellence. Privately, however, it’s clear that Sasaki’s comments caught many off guard. One team official, speaking off the record, admitted there was “concern” about the fallout. “It’s one thing to be frustrated,” they said. “It’s another to go public with language like that.”

But what should the Dodgers expect from a player like Sasaki? He comes from a culture where team harmony is paramount, yes—but also where integrity and respect run deep. If he feels misled, if he believes that teammates are being put at risk, it’s not just his right to speak up—it’s his duty.

The ripple effects are already being felt. Several teammates have since echoed Sasaki’s call for greater clarity, albeit in more measured tones. Some have pointed to the strange nature of injury announcements this season. Others have admitted they feel “out of the loop” on medical decisions that directly impact their careers.

This is where the Dodgers face a crucial crossroads.

Do they tighten the message, brush off Sasaki’s comments as growing pains or cultural misunderstanding? Or do they address the deeper issue—rebuilding trust between players and the organization before it erodes further?

Sasaki, for his part, hasn’t backed down. In follow-up interviews, he’s clarified that his comments weren’t meant to “attack” anyone, but rather to open a conversation that’s long overdue. “We are a team,” he said. “And teams are strongest when everyone understands what’s really happening.”

That simple truth now hangs over the Dodgers like a storm cloud.

There is undeniable irony in Sasaki, a player just months into his MLB journey, being the one to ask the hardest question of all: Are they lying to us?

For years, the Dodgers have embodied the best of modern baseball—wealthy, smart, and strategically dominant. But in trying to maintain that edge, have they become too opaque, too protective, too invested in optics over honesty?

Fans are starting to wonder. When a star disappears from the lineup with little explanation, when a rehab assignment is canceled without notice, when timelines shift and reasons are vague—those aren’t just small PR misses. They’re moments that build distrust. And when one of the game’s brightest new faces gives voice to that doubt, the whole sport listens.

This controversy won’t define Roki Sasaki’s career. He’ll go on to win games, perhaps even Cy Youngs, and become a global icon in the process. But this moment—this act of truth-telling—may end up meaning just as much. Not just for him, but for how organizations communicate, how players advocate for each other, and how fans understand the inner workings of the teams they love.

The Dodgers may still right the ship. Talent wins, after all, and they have plenty. But if they want to reclaim more than just a healthy roster—if they want to reclaim the faith of the clubhouse—they’ll have to answer the question Sasaki dared to ask.

And the answer better be real.