The start of what turned into a legendary career began on June 24, 1955, when Sandy Koufax made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’d signed with the organization for $14,000 the December prior.
Koufax was added to the Dodgers’ active roster at the expense of Tommy Lasorda, who was optioned to Triple-A Montreal. A fringe pitcher, Lasorda went on to become a Hall-of-Fame manager for the Dodgers.
As for Koufax, his tenure with the team during the 1955 season was comprised primarily of relief appearances. Such was the case for his first game, when the famed lefty entered out of the bullpen against the Milwaukee Braves.