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| LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani (from left), Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Rocky Sasaki meet in the press room and pose with laughter ahead of the press conference on the first day of the official training session of the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome on the 14th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News |
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| Otani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki pose. EPA Yonhap News |
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| Dodgers manager Dave Roberts holds a press conference. EPA Yonhap News |
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It is no exaggeration to say that the Los Angeles Dodgers are now a team for the Japanese.
The Dodgers will hold two consecutive regular season opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome from the 18th to the 19th. He left Arizona camp on the 13th and arrived in Tokyo to play the Tokyo Series.
Initially, the Dodgers team was expected to enter the country with enthusiastic hospitality from fans at the airport, but the Dodgers players, who arrived at Haneda Airport and got off the chartered plane, took a bus to a separate passageway, leaving no contact with fans.
There are four Japanese members of the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts is in charge of Shohei Ohtani, 1-2 starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They held an official press conference at Tokyo Dome on the 14th. MLB.com said Dodgers superstars Ohtani, Yamamoto, Sasaki, and Roberts held a press conference on the first day of official training just days before the Tokyo Series against the Cubs.
Ohtani joined the club on a 10-year, $700 million FA contract in December 2023 and set a record of 50 home runs and 50 steals last year, unanimously winning his third MVP of his career. This season, when he finishes pitching rehabilitation and takes the mound, he will resume playing both pitching and hitting. He is showing off his best batting performance in the exhibition game.
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| Shohei Otani is on the ground receiving a camera flash from reporters on the first day of official training. AFP Yonhap News |
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Ohtani said "I'm sure our colleagues are coming to Japan and having a good time. I hope so until you leave. I hope fans will also see our players enjoy Japan."
Yamamoto, who will start the opening game on the 18th, also said "It seems that the entire Japanese people are very happy to hear that the opening game will be held here." I can't wait to throw it in front of fans like that." Yamamoto will face Shota Imanaga, a pitcher from the same Japan, in the opening game.
Yamamoto also signed a contract with the Dodgers, setting a 12-year, $325 million record for pitchers. He made his big league debut last year and had a three-month hiatus due to a shoulder injury, but he showed ace qualities by going 7-2 in 18 games and marking a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 90 innings. In the postseason, he contributed greatly to the victory by pitching a 3.86 ERA in four games, including the victory in the second game of the World Series (one run in six ⅓ innings).
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| Yamamoto Yoshinobu is lost in thought as he touches his hat during the interview. AP Yonhap News |
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| Roki Sasaki is making a practice pitch at Tokyo Dome. AP Yonhap News |
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Sasaki, who won the starting position in the second round, said "Just a few months ago, I was in Japan. I got to throw in a new team wearing a different uniform. I'll try my best to make the most of my skills," he said, expressing his will to win.
Sasaki, who joined the Dodgers for $6.5 million in the hottest posting competition ever, took the mound twice in exhibition games and struck out seven in seven innings to prevent him from losing a point and prepare for his major league debut. The fastball speed was raised to a maximum of 99.3 miles.
Roberts also helped. He said "I think our players have seen Shohei, Yamamoto and Rocky receive the hospitality of the fans here. Most of our players are new to Japan. So they will want to eat a lot of Japanese food and look around Tokyo as much as possible," he said, expressing the team's atmosphere.
In particular, Roberts is born in Japan. Born in 1972 in Naha, Okinawa, to an American father who was a soldier and a Japanese mother.
The Dodgers' mound, led by three players, is considered the strongest in 30 teams. The Dodgers ranked No. 1 in the corner titled `Top 10 Pitching Staff Ranking' by MLB.com .
MLB.com said, "'The Dodgers' lineup also topped the MLB Top 10 lineup, and so did the pitchers.' The Dodgers rotation is full of top-class pitchers, so there is no room to even mention Dustin May (he will start five times until Otani comes), Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and Bobby Miller. The bullpen, which brought Michael Kopech to the highest level last year, has also become much stronger by recruiting Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates.
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| Loki Sasaki is staring somewhere while touching his hat during a press conference. AP Yonhap News |
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
