“He told me 'let's go'”: Austin Barnes recalls Roki Sasaki's heartwarming mindset shift

For the Los Angeles Dodgers ’ catcher, Austin Barnes , his teammate Roki Sasaki was confident and calm before his game on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies . Even as Sasaki's first two games didn’t go very well, Barnes could sense that Sasaki was in a better mood and mindset. He felt Sasaki was ready for the game.

Austin Barnes talks about Roki Sasaki’s mindset shiftAustin Barnes explained how a small moment with Roki Sasaki helped him understand a lot about his team and his teammate. He said:

"Before we went out there, he told me, ‘Let’s go,’ I liked that. It was good to see, just going out there and competing."

Regarding the game, Austin Barnes explained how putting pressure was the goal of the team. He said:

"I think some of the hitters still were spitting on the splitter, But he threw some good fastballs. He drilled some at the bottom of the zone, right through me. I think that's where he needs to be, just painting with the fastball, getting ahead, putting pressure on those hitters and making them respect that splitty."

Tough game for Roki Sasaki despite the anxiousness It was tough for Roki Sasaki. When Sasaki left the game in the fifth inning, a few Philadelphia Phillies fans booed him too.

Responding to the matter, Sasaki, through an interpreter, acknowledged he was anxious. He said:

Roki Sasaki's stuff is truly ridiculous 🤮 pic.twitter.com/Pfvri6sSFK

— MLB (@MLB) April 6, 2025

"I did go through the week feeling a little anxious, I was searching for something that I could feel confident about, whether that was skill-based. So what I learned this time is that it’s really important to have confidence based on some adjustment, some skill."

He further explained that the mindset matters a lot during games. He said

"I think it’s more mechanical-based rather than mindset. Last time around, I felt like I wanted to throw strikes, but I couldn’t."

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ team manager Dave Roberts explained that it is building blocks for Roki Sasaki. He said:

"He needed it. He probably won't let on how much he needed it, but…given how the first couple went, to have some success and leave the game with a lead, I think that was certainly a big positive. Just a building block for him for his next outing."

Also Read: Roki Sasaki Net Worth 2025: Everything On Dodgers Star’s Wealth