"I should be able to get these guys out" - Shohei Ohtani's teammate Roki Sasaki reflects on Cactus League debut after flashing 99.3 mph heat

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki this offseason. The Dodgers fans got the first sighting of the young hurler in his first Spring Training outing on Tuesday.

Roki Sasaki made his Cactus League debut against the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch. It wasn't a start for the 23-year-old pitcher as he was called on the mound after compatriot Yoshinobu Yamamoto started the game for the reigning World Series winners.

In his relief appearance, Sasaki went three scoreless innings, striking out five hitters, conceding two hits and allowing a walk. Following his first start of spring with the Dodgers.

"I did feel really good about being able to jam some hitters and as long as I throw quality pitches, I should be able to get these guys out," Sasaki said through interpreter Will Ireton.

His Japanese teammate and three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani was seen observing his compatriot's performance from the mound. Sasaki's four-seam fastballs averaged 98 mph with his first pitch of the night clocked at 99.3 mph.

"It was a combination of [adrenaline and improved mechanics]," Sasaki said on his velocity. "I really worked hard in the lab, dug into the mechanical aspect of my form and things I do well and things I wasn’t doing well."

Dave Roberts approves Roki Sasaki's "best" performance on spring debut

It was an electric start for Roki Sasaki, getting his first taste of MLB on Tuesday. Four of his pitches clocked the 99 mph mark and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hailed it as Sasaki's "best" for the team this spring.

"That's the best we've seen him," Roberts said. "And you would expect that, given he's now really in compete mode, the adrenaline is real."

With Sasaki going scoreless, the Dodgers eased to a 4-2 win. The only runs conceded by the LA came on Sasaki's Japanese teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto's start. Yamamoto conceded two runs over four hits with three strikeouts over four innings.

Roki Sasaki's next start for the team is expected to be in the Dodgers' final Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels next week. The 23-year-old ace could make his MLB debut for the Dodgers in their Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs with Sasaki in line to start Game 2 at the Tokyo Dome on March 19.