Roki Sasaki made his highly anticipated MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan, where he previously played. The debut, which occurred during the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs, was filled with excitement, although Sasaki experienced nerves. He managed to demonstrate control despite allowing five walks and limiting the Cubs to one run through three innings pitched. Sasaki's performance included crucial strikeouts under pressure, highlighting both his talent and the unique atmosphere created by the Japanese crowd at the Tokyo Dome.
Sasaki said he was nervous in his MLB and Dodgers debut, but added "it really helped me concentrate and live in the moment." He allowed five walks but limited the damage to just one run.
"It was a good nervousness," Sasaki said. "I think it was a really excellent environment created by the Japanese fans and an environment that's unique to Japan."
Since it was announced Sasaki would be making the jump from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB, there had been anticipation for the Japanese flamethrower to make his debut.
Sasaki threw a total of 56 pitches in his three-inning start for the Dodgers. The outing featured fastballs and nasty splitters, but the right-hander could not hide the fact that he was a rookie.
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