TORONTO — Tomoyuki Sugano made a reputation in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan for his command. The three-time Central League MVP threw six pitches with near perfection, accumulating 111 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings last season.

So it seemed out of character on Sunday, as Sugano made his MLB debut for the Orioles, that he walked the first batter he faced on four pitches. The rest of his first inning was rocky. He allowed a double and a two-run single before striking out Will Wagner to end the frame.

It may have been nerves, or perhaps he just needed a moment to get acclimated, because, from there, Sugano showed flashes of the potential that made him attractive to the Orioles. He pitched three more innings, allowing just two more hits and one more walk. Sugano attempted to return for the fifth, taking the mound to warm up, but exited with trainers with cramping in both hands.

It’s happened before, Sugano said, and manager Brandon Hyde added that Sugano felt better after getting fluids and food.

“I thought Tomo threw the ball really well,” Hyde said. “He just made a little bit of a mistake with [George] Springer on a ball. He looked like he was a little nervous there in the first inning with a walk to [Bo] Bichette but almost pitching out of it.”

Matt Bowman, who had his contract selected Sunday after Albert Suárez went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, pitched the fifth. The Orioles bullpen allowed just one more run, but the bats went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position as the Blue Jays won 3-1.

“Regardless of the outcome, overall there were a lot of learnings today,” Sugano said through an interpreter. “So if I can make adjustments for my next start that would be good.”

Sugano, 35, had a decorated 12-year campaign in Japan. But, despite all the success he’s had, pitching in the major leagues, he said, is his dream and this seemed like the right time to try. He signed with the Orioles in December on a one-year, $13 million deal.

After signing, Sugano headed to Hawaii for his offseason workouts, then to Sarasota, Florida, for spring training. Although the heart of the game is still the same, there are differences between NPB and MLB, including a bigger ball and strike zone in MLB and a pitch clock that controls the speed of the game. There is also the added use of PitchCom, which allows a catcher to call pitches. It can be programmed to different languages, but Sugano has chosen to use English.

He also had a new clubhouse to get acquainted with, and, while there is a language barrier, he has an interpreter who can help manage that gap. By the end of camp, he was even golfing with catcher Adley Rutschman. Their game planning is smooth too, Rutschman said, despite the different languages.

“It’s easy conversation,” Rutschman said. “It’s good communication back and forth. That’s what I love about our staff, about him. We come together as a team to make a game plan.”

His debut was highly anticipated, his family traveling around the world to watch him pitch. The Orioles slotted him on Sunday, the fourth game of the season, to give him a few games to watch from the dugout before the pressure was on. There is no guarantee that success in Japan will translate. Just look at the Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki, who has pitched only 4 2/3 innings across his first two starts.

But Sugano, after the first inning, showed composure. He threw all six of his pitches — four-seamer, sinker, cutter, splitter, slider, curve — using his fastball the most at 26% but spreading it out fairly evenly.

“I was still throwing balls as opposed to strikes in the early counts, but in the dugout I was talking to the pitching coach and the catcher to strategize how to pitch the next innings,” Sugano said. “It got better as they went.”

The Orioles posted their only run in the first inning when Ryan O’Hearn scored on a wild pitch. Jordan Westburg, who was 6-for-13 with three home runs in the first three games, was available only in an emergency situation, Hyde said, but should be OK Monday. Colton Cowser’s left thumb was bent backwards, leading to Hyde pinch-hitting backup catcher Gary Sánchez for him in the top of the ninth. Cowser is being evaluated.

This story has been updated.