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GLENDALE, Ariz. — During a bullpen session, Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a mix of fastballs and impressive breaking pitches, while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior observed nearby, grinning as catcher Will Smith caught each throw.
The mood was upbeat as the Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their spring training at Camelback Ranch. The reigning World Series champions engaged in a light workout on Tuesday, with many star players including NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts present on the field. Veteran left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw was seen playing catch, signaling his return for what will be his 18th season.
Max Muncy, the Dodgers’ third baseman, expressed the team’s determination, stating, “Everyone’s more hungry than ever.” Muncy has been in Arizona for about a week and a half, arriving early to work on defensive plays alongside Betts and teammate Miguel Rojas. After lifting the World Series trophy just three months prior by defeating the New York Yankees in five games, the players are eager to build on their success.
Betts acknowledged that the quick transition back to training poses certain challenges. However, he views these as positive hurdles. “It’s definitely tough, but we didn’t win last year because we were talking about the World Series every day,” he noted. “We won last year because we talked about the task at hand every day. We have an end goal, of course, but you have to take stepping stones to get there. We’ll get there when we get there.”
The Dodgers are set to face the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series in Tokyo on March 18-19. Their objective is to become the first team to secure back-to-back World Series titles since the New York Yankees achieved three consecutive wins from 1998 to 2000. This offseason, Dodgers ownership made notable investments, signing two-time All-Star Blake Snell, Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, and relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates.
Rojas emphasized the importance of team character, saying, “Talent will take you to a certain place. But then the character will make you win championships. We realized that last year.” Ohtani, who did not pitch last season due to elbow surgery, is also recovering from a partially torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, an injury he incurred while sliding into second base during the World Series.
Despite not pitching, Ohtani clinched the MVP title last season, making history as the first MLB player to simultaneously hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single campaign. He aims to return to the mound where he recorded a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA in 2023 for the Los Angeles Angels. Roberts commented that a May return for Ohtani is “about right” and noted that his recovery from shoulder surgery is looking promising.
“He looks really strong,” Roberts affirmed. “I saw some videos recently and you just wouldn’t think that there was any shoulder surgery this past winter.” Recently, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned that some fans are worried about the absence of a salary cap in the league, especially given the lavish expenditures by teams like the Dodgers and New York Mets.
Muncy welcomed the media spotlight, irrespective of whether the attention is favorable or not. “It’s just the nature of Dodger Stadium, our fans, the scene,” he explained. “We go on the road, our fans travel so well that we’re selling out every stadium we go to, and that was even before the last couple of years.”
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