The Los Angeles Dodgers got to unveil one of their most exciting offseason acquisitions as Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki made his spring training debut Tuesday. Sasaki got some work in against the Cincinnati Reds in a Cactus League game and the 23-year-old hurler dominated.

Sasaki went three innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs while striking out five batters and issuing one walk, according to Dodgers reporter Noah Camras on X. “He had eight swings and misses, touched 99.3 mph and his splitter was nasty,” Cameras wrote.

The Dodgers revealed their plan for Sasaki’s debut last week. Yoshinobu Yamamoto would start the game and Sasaki would follow, getting in 3-4 innings of work. Prior to Tuesday’s outing, Sasaki had been limited to bullpen sessions and what was essentially live batting practice against the Chicago White Sox.

Roki Sasaki prepares for special season with the Dodgers

Mar 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Dodgers won the Sasaki sweepstakes earlier this year when Roki opted to sign with the team, sending shockwaves across the baseball landscape. Sasaki was immediately considered the NL Rookie of the Year favorite, based largely on his dominant but brief career in NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball).

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Considering this is Sasaki’s first MLB experience, the Dodgers are bringing him along slowly. Fortunately, the team isn’t solely relying on the young righty as LA also has Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. Oh, and the Dodgers signed former Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract. And the team will welcome reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani back to the mound this season as well.

And if the starters are having an off day, the Dodgers have Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to come out of a stacked bullpen.

While some have complained of the Dodgers spending spree this offseason, suggesting that it’s destroying the competitive balance of baseball, it should be noted that there was never a competitive balance in baseball. And also Rob Manfred doesn’t have a problem with it. So…

Anyway, given all the hype around Sasaki’s arrival in MLB, he’s probably in the least stressful environment imaginable. While there’s pressure for him to succeed as an individual, he is in no way expected to carry this team of superstars.

Still, if he was expected to carry the team, it sure seems like he could. If his spring training debut is any indication.