The three Japanese players of the Los Angeles Dodgers all took to the field. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki pitched successfully in succession, while Shohei Ohtani also started the game, adjusting his hitting with a hit. However, Hyeseong Kim from South Korea did not appear on this day, reflecting his unstable position.
The Los Angeles Dodgers played a spring training exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds on the 5th (Korean time) at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, USA.
The game drew attention as the Dodgers' three Japanese players were set to play simultaneously. Yamamoto was scheduled to start, followed by Sasaki, who was set to make his debut. Ohtani was the designated hitter, batting first.
The Dodgers' starting lineup consisted of Ohtani (designated hitter), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Freddie Freeman (first baseman), Teoscar Hernández (right fielder), Will Smith (catcher), Max Muncy (third baseman), Tommy Edman (second baseman), Chris Taylor (left fielder), and Andy Páez (center fielder). Hyeseong Kim was excluded from the starters.
Yamamoto struggled in the first inning, allowing two runs. He gave up a leadoff double to TJ Friedl along the left field line. After getting Matt McLain to hit a ground ball to the shortstop, he allowed a run-scoring single to Eli De La Cruz with one out and a runner on third. Following this, he allowed a stolen base to De La Cruz, creating a dangerous situation with one out and a runner on second, and was hit by Austin Hays, who tallied a significant run-scoring triple that hit the top of the wall in center field. Although the Dodgers faced a one-out, third-base crisis, he managed to get Jake Fraley to hit a line drive to the second baseman, catching the baserunner who failed to return to third base, narrowly escaping the first inning.
Yamamoto concluded his outing after recording just one hit against him over three innings. His line read four innings, four hits allowed, three strikeouts, and two earned runs, showing a solid performance.
In the bottom of the third inning, with one out, Ohtani produced a clean hit toward right field. The ball reached a speed of 109.8 miles per hour, totaling 176.7 kilometers per hour. However, that might have been too fast, as Ohtani was thrown out while attempting to reach second base. Subsequently, Betts hit a solo home run down the left field line, bringing the Dodgers one run closer.
As planned, Sasaki took the mound starting from the fifth inning. The 'Perfect Monster' of Japanese professional baseball, who signed with the Dodgers for $6.5 million under an international amateur contract, was set to make his debut. In the first inning of the fifth, he showed signs of struggle. He threw a fastball clocking 99.2 miles per hour (159.6 km/h) against leadoff man Noelvi Marte. He got Marte to hit a ground ball to the shortstop on the first pitch.
However, he allowed a single to Austin WINS, giving up a hit. The first pitch, a sinker at 99 miles per hour (159 km/h), was too high. The second pitch, a sinker at 97.8 miles per hour (157.4 km/h) was a foul, and the third pitch, a splitter, was a ball. After falling behind with two balls and one strike, a 98.8-mile per hour four-seam fastball resulted in a single. No matter how close to 160 km/h the pitch was, a high fastball over the heart of the plate was an easy target.
With one out and runners on first and second, he threw a 96.9-mile per hour (155.9 km/h) four-seam fastball inside to Stuart Fairchild. This hit by pitch resulted in a one-out, first-and-second crisis. However, he regained his confidence. With one out and runners on first and second, he threw a 97.9-mile per hour (157.6 km/h) four-seam fastball at a high location against TJ Friedl, leading to a swing and miss on the second pitch, an 85.4-mile per hour (137.4 km/h) splitter. The third pitch was a ball, but the fourth, a slider with significant vertical drop at 86.1 miles per hour, resulted in a called strikeout.
In the sixth inning, he allowed a double to Eli De La Cruz down the left field line to the leadoff hitter. A four-seam fastball thrown in a disadvantageous count of two balls came to a place with no defenders, resulting in the double. He faced Austin Hays with one out and a runner on second. His splitter command was not on point. However, after battling to a full count, he struck him out looking with a 98.4-mile per hour (158 km/h) sinker. Against Jake Fraley, he threw an 85.9-mile per hour slider, leading to a flyout to center field. After issuing a straight walk to Cristian Encarnación-Strand with two outs, he made a wild pitch while facing Noelvi Marte. Faced with a two-out, second-and-third crisis, he managed to get Marte to hit a foul fly to the first baseman, escaping the second inning.
Although Sasaki struggled from the fifth to sixth inning but did not allow any runs, he finished his debut with a perfect seventh inning. His line read three innings, two hits allowed, one walk, one hit by pitch, five strikeouts, and no earned runs. He threw 46 pitches, utilizing 25 fastballs, 18 splitters, and three sliders, with a maximum fastball speed recorded at 99.3 miles per hour (159.8 km/h).
However, Kim did not appear throughout the game. Although it was expected that he would come on field in the sixth or seventh inning when the starters were replaced, instead, other players took the field, confirming his absence. Alex Friedland replaced Mookie Betts at shortstop, and Austin Gauthier filled in for Tommy Edman's spot at second base.
The game ended with the Dodgers winning 4-2. Players who were substituted in the eighth inning turned the game around. In the eighth inning with no outs and runners on first and second, Jake Vogel's clutch double tied the game, and Austin Gauthier's run-scoring single, along with Hunter Pedrochia's ground ball to the second baseman, clinched a 4-2 comeback victory.
[OSEN = Reporter Jo Hyung-rae]