LOS ANGELES (Kyodo) -- No stranger to the devastation caused by natural disasters, Los Angeles Dodgers marquee signing Roki Sasaki voiced his sympathy Wednesday for victims of the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California.

The 23-year-old pitcher touched on his experience of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan while expressing hope for recovery from the fires that have destroyed thousands of homes and are feared to have killed many more than the 28 confirmed dead so far.

Sasaki, a native of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture, was just 9 years old when his home was washed away by the March 11, 2011, tsunami that took the lives of his father and two of his grandparents.

"I was also affected by disaster and suffered a lot, but I tried not to forget to keep looking forward," Sasaki said during his introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium.

"I hope to look forward and do my best together with the people of Los Angeles."

The Dodgers officially introduced Sasaki after acquiring the hard-throwing right-hander in one of the biggest moves of the Major League Baseball offseason.

Sasaki has been one of the top pitchers in Japan since debuting with the Lotte Marines in 2021. He threw a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes in April 2022, striking out 19 batters, including a record-breaking 13 in a row.

He joins Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as a member of the defending World Series champion Dodgers.

Sasaki will wear No. 11 for the Dodgers after infielder Miguel Rojas agreed to give him the number. With Ohtani having famously gifted a Porsche to the wife of Los Angeles teammate Joe Kelly in exchange for his No. 17, Sasaki said he needed to consider the right gift for Rojas.

"I'm grateful that such an accomplished player as Rojas gave it to me. I want to decide what to give him after discussing it," Sasaki said with a laugh.