Q. Just reflecting on how you were able to close out that Reds game, how much of a confidence booster was it for you personally, being able to not only show up for your teammates, for yourself in such a big moment for this team?
ROKI SASAKI: I definitely think it was a confidence booster. Although, we had quite a few run support in that situation, in the ninth inning. Just being able to experience the postseason in the United States was definitely a confidence booster.
Q. What came first, throwing 100 miles an hour and then get your confidence? Or did you have confidence as the Dodgers were working with you to get your velocity back? Also, how much have you leaned on Shohei in the last week or so?
ROKI SASAKI: In terms of the velo, of course that helps. But aside from that, it's about the quality of the offspeed, the command of my pitches. The combination of all those three was something that led to me just having more confidence in myself and the expectation that I could pitch the way I did.
In terms of Shohei, he hasn't necessarily said much to me aside from, hey, when are you pitching again? (Laughter.)
Q. What do you like about pitching in relief and what do you not like?
ROKI SASAKI: The difficulty of pitching in relief is, I'm sure in the regular season, just the way that I'm warming up, it takes a while to warm up.
In a playoff format, I think I'm able to do that because I do have the stamina as a starting pitcher. But over the course of a longer season, I don't think it's a sustainable way for me to prepare to pitch each postseason game as a reliever.
The fun part about relieving is the opportunity to be able to contribute to the game, to the team every day.
Q. Shohei is making his first postseason outing tomorrow. You've already pitched in the postseason. How would you convey what is different about that experience compared to the regular season?
ROKI SASAKI: Personally, I haven't felt too much of a difference pitching the postseason versus the regular season. I think the difference that I feel more is I pitched as a starter in the regular season, and now it's just pitching in relief in the postseason. So it's more about the role rather than the regular versus postseason.
Q. How difficult is it to change your arm slot in the middle of the season the way you did? And being willing to do that, what's that say about the trust you've developed with the Dodgers organization over the last year?
ROKI SASAKI: In terms of the arm slot, it's not something that I consciously tried to change. It was more about making sure that I incorporate a new routine in the training room, in the weight room. And, so, in terms of, like, I haven't really made a conscious adjustment. So, no, it hasn't been difficult.
Q. Now that you're near the end of your first year in MLB, how would you describe the process of adapting to a new league and a new country? And how have you grown as a pitcher in that time?
ROKI SASAKI: There's a couple of major differences I felt. The first one, definitely the regular season schedule. And the second one is the competition, although I wasn't fully healthy, so I couldn't really appreciate the kind of competition I was actually facing during the regular season.
So now that I am healthy in the postseason, I'm sure that's something that I'm going to fully comprehend and appreciate.
Q. Was there ever a point this year, with all you were going through, where you thought you weren't going to return and pitch again before the end of the season? And how much of your confidence comes from your gratefulness of having come back and being able to contribute now?
ROKI SASAKI: The goal was to come back fully healthy and just fully ready to pitch again. So, I was cognizant that there could be that possibility that I may not pitch in the regular season again.
There's been a lot of support staff, coaching staff, the people around me who helped me get to where I am today. So, yes, very grateful for that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports