Shohei Ohtani appears to be ready to start the season in his designated hitter role when the Los Angeles Dodgers kick off their season in South Korea, and it seems the club’s two new aces will make their debuts, as well.
According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow are currently penciled in to start the Seoul Series against the division rival San Diego Padres on March 20-21. While Roberts expressed confidence in their roles, he also noted the possibility of adjustments in the plans ahead.
“This is a unique ramp-up for everyone,” Roberts said as part of a spring training media event in which managers and general managers from all of the Cactus League teams were made available. “It’s two games that matter, but it’s just two games. So the entirety of the season and making sure these guys are ready to take down starts — that’s most important.”
The Dodgers swiftly finalized the deal to bring Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays on the same day they unveiled Shohei Ohtani on Dec. 14. Glasnow committed to a lucrative five-year, $136.6 million extension even before officially joining the team.
Just a week later, the Dodgers made another significant move by securing Yoshinobu Yamamoto with a staggering 12-year, $325 million contract. With Ohtani’s monumental 10-year, $700 million contract structured with significant deferrals, the Dodgers’ offseason spending spree soared to approximately $1.2 billion.
To gear up for their season, which kicks off earlier than most teams, the Dodgers began spring training ahead of schedule. Glasnow and Yamamoto have faced live batters at the Dodgers’ spring training facility.
Both Ohtani and Yamamoto are from Japan, yet they boast significant fan bases in South Korea as well. Ohtani has risen to global stardom, commanding attention as one of the most prominent figures in baseball, while Yamamoto arrives fresh off an impressive streak of three consecutive MVP Awards in Japan.
