Saturday was a big day for the Baltimore Orioles as one of their free-agent acquisitions arrived for his first workout at spring training.

Tomoyuki Sugano got into camp a day or two later than the rest of the pitchers and catchers, a result of him traveling from his native Japan. MLB.com reported that he and manager Brandon Hyde met for an hour in the morning before the 35-year-old went through is first workout with the team. He was expected to play catch, a precursor to a bullpen session.

Then, it came time to meet the media.

As one might expect, the media contingent was large, a combination of Baltimore-based beat writers, national reporters making the rounds at Grapefruit League camps and a Japanese media contingent which follows every native-born pitcher in the Majors as if they’re still playing back in Japan.

It didn’t seem to bother Sugano one bit, even though this photo from the Baltimore Banner proved the quarters were tight.

“I’m not so surprised, because with the Yomiuri Giants, it was like this every day,” he said to MLB.com.

The Giants are one of the top teams in NPB.

Playing for them, in some ways, is like playing for the New York Yankees. The franchise has won 22 Japan Series, 39 Central League pennants, plays in Tokyo and is the country’s oldest professional sports franchise.

Sugano pitched for a decade with the Giants and emerged as one of NPB’s best pitchers. He wrapped up his career in Japan with a 136-74 record with a 2.43 ERA and 1,585 strikeouts.

His list of accomplishments includes being named the three-time Central League MVP, including last season. He won the Japanese pitching triple crown in 2018 and is a two-time recipient of the Eiji Sawamura Award, the Japanese version of the Cy Young award. He also won the Gold Glove at his position three times.

He is also an eight-time All-Star, led the Central League in wins three times, ERA four times and strikeouts twice. He even pitched a no-hitter in the postseason.

He’s so well liked in Japan that the Giants sold merchandise touting his signing with Baltimore.

The Orioles signed him to a one-year, $13 million contract as part of a volume approach to replacing ace Corbin Burnes, who signed a long-term deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Baltimore also signed 41-year-old veteran Charlie Morton.

Sugano’s logic for signing with the Orioles was simple, he said to reporters through an interpreter.

“When I first met with the Baltimore Orioles before I signed, they had strongly expressed their desire to win the world championship,” he said. “So that has been my goal throughout.”Baltimore has been to the playoffs each of the last two seasons but has yet to win a playoff game.

The Orioles are hoping Sugano can help them break through this season.