Around the time that Roki Sasaki made his long-awaited decision to sign with the Dodgers, the city of Los Angeles was reeling from a period of grief and devastation. A string of wildfires ripped through the greater L.

When they do, it'll mark the debut of Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki, one of the most anticipated recent transfers from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league. Sasaki, 23, became the latest Japanese star to join the Dodgers when he inked a deal in January worth a $6.

Tadahito Iguchi, who was Sasaki’s manager for the pitcher’s first three seasons in the Japan Pacific League from 2021-23, believes he will continue to improve.