Clay Holmes knew going into this offseason that he wanted to be a starter.
That dream became a reality when he signed with the Mets on a three-year deal, and the right-hander immediately went to work -- grinding his way throughout the offseason to ensure that he’d be ready by the time camp opened.
He reported to Port St. Lucie early and has been working tirelessly with the coaching and training staff to refine his arsenal and make sure he’ll be stretched out as much as possible when the regular season comes around.
And now, Holmes is being rewarded for all of his hard work -- as manager Carlos Mendoza officially named him the starter for the Mets’ Opening Day matchup with the Houston Astros on March 27.
“It's a special thing," Holmes said. “I’m honored. It’s been a crazy few months, but it’s a testament to the work I’ve put in and the people I’ve been around here with the organization. There was a plan in place from the get-go; I believed in it and they believed in me.
“There’s been a lot of work put in these last few months and this is just another step. It’s definitely an honor to be out there for the first game -- I’m pumped to get to represent the Mets and this organization, and just excited to get the season going.”
Mendoza -- someone who Holmes has been around since his days with the Yankees -- called the big right-hander into his office along with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner to give him the good news on Thursday.
“He earned it,” the skipper said. “We like what we're seeing. I know it's a small sample size, but it's really encouraging. He put himself in a really good position. Showed up here early in camp. He was ahead of everyone -- I know he’s worked really hard. We’re proud of him.”
The results don’t matter much, but Holmes’ first few spring outings certainly have been extremely encouraging, as he is yet to allow a run and has struck out 13 batters in just 9.2 innings of work while showcasing his revamped arsenal.
The 31-year-old is scheduled to take the mound again Saturday -- he expects to stretch out to around 70 pitches during that outing and will build from there with hopes of being around 90 pitches and ready for a full slate come Opening Day.
"At the end of the day, we just have to go out there and put our best foot forward and show everyone what we're about," Holmes said.
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have picked up their $12 million team option on Yandy Díaz for the 2026 season.
The Rays announced Friday that they had added a vesting option for 2027, pending 2026 performance thresholds.
Díaz batted .281 with 14 homers, 65 RBIs and a .341 on-base percentage in 145 games last season. The 33-year-old first baseman had on-base percentages of .410 in 2023 and .401 in 2022.
He hit an AL-leading .330 and finished sixth in the AL MVP balloting in 2023. He also hit 22 homers and drove in 78 runs that year.
Díaz has a career batting average of .288 with a .373 on-base percentage, 75 homers and 341 RBIs in 754 games. He played with Cleveland from 2017-18 before coming to Tampa Bay in 2019.
MARYVALE, Ariz. — In the early innings Friday, Giants outfielder Luis Matos hit a rocket that nearly cleared the left field berm at American Family Fields and then jumped up against the center field wall to rob a Milwaukee Brewer of extra bases and save at least one run. But it was his slow jog to first in the top of the fifth that might have been just as impactful to his bid for an Opening Day roster spot.
The walk that Matos drew his third time up was his first of the spring, but it’s hard to blame the 23-year-old too much for that. His aggression early in camp has paid off, leading to a .359 average entering play on Friday. He bolstered his case against the Brewers with his second spring homer, a single, the walk and the highlight-reel catch.
“I can only control what I can control,” he said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “My performance is going to dictate what the team wants to do.”
The Giants came to camp with an open mind about their bench, and the ability to go several different ways. Jerar Encarnacion is out of options and a near-lock to get one spot, and the Giants will also carry a backup catcher (likely Sam Huff) and a backup middle infielder (either Brett Wisely or Casey Schmitt). With the final bench spot, they can go with either a second backup infielder, a lefty DH option like Jake Lamb, or Matos as an extra outfielder.
If Matos gets the call, his initial role on the roster might be to start in right field when the Giants face a left-handed starter. They got veteran southpaw Nestor Cortes on Friday and Matos greeted him with a blast to left.
Matos entered the day with 14 hits in 15 spring games and just four strikeouts, although given how his free-swinging ways hurt him last season, it certainly stood out that he had not drawn a walk until Friday. Manager Bob Melvin was not concerned, however. He said Matos’ at-bats have been better this spring and noted that he is being more patient in subtle ways.
“His thing is swinging. He is getting better pitches to hit and that’s always going to be, for him, the most important thing, is not chasing too much,” Melvin said. “Last year, when he was getting good pitches to hit, he went crazy, and then all of a sudden he was a little bit too aggressive. Even though he hasn’t walked (before Friday), we’ve seen him taking some first pitches, we’ve seen him get a little deeper in counts, and I think that is progression for him.”
Matos is still just 23, and the Giants insist his time will come regardless of what they decide at the end of camp. If either corner outfielder (Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski) has to miss time, Matos is the next man up and might get a long runway to be a starter. But right now, he’s playing like someone who is ready for the big leagues, even if the role right now might be a more limited one.
“Things are going well, and I’m working really hard,” Matos said. “I have no complaints. Everything is moving in the right direction.”
Fifth Starter Competition
Bob Melvin skipped the Cactus League game to watch Landen Roupp pitch in a minor league game at Papago. Roupp made sure the trip was worth it.
The right-hander struck out 13 in five innings, including the first nine batters he faced. He allowed just one hit and one walk and threw 51 of his 66 pitches for strikes. Roupp was facing minor leaguers, but 13 strikeouts will stand out in any situation, and it’s not like this came out of nowhere. Roupp has been as sharp as any Giants pitcher this spring.
The Giants are holding an open competition for the fifth rotation spot and Melvin insisted this week that no decision has been made. The other two options will have a chance to keep pace on Sunday; Hayden Birdsong will start the game against the Athletics and Kyle Harrison will pitch several innings of relief.
Making His Push
Melvin didn’t need to see much from Lou Trivino this spring. The veteran right-hander broke into the big leagues with Melvin’s Athletics and was one of the best relievers in baseball as a rookie in 2018.
Trivino came to camp in a good spot and he has done nothing to harm his case over the past month. He threw 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Jordan Hicks on Friday and struck out a pair, and in six spring appearances he now has 6 1/3 scoreless innings and six strikeouts.
Carlos Rodonwill be the Yankees' Opening Day starter, manager Aaron Boone announced on Friday.
Rodon is set to face-off with Freddy Peralta and the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27 at Yankee Stadium.
"Really excited to give him the ball," Boone told reporters including Erik Boland of Newsday. "He's in the right frame of mind and throwing the ball well right now. He's excited to do it, and then at the end of the day, it's just the first one."
This will be the southpaw's first Opening Day start since joining the Yankees on a six-year deal two seasons ago, but it is the second of his big-league career -- the first of which came back in 2019 with the Chicago White Sox.
Rodon battled injuries and struggled mightily during his first season in the Bronx -- he pitched better last year but still put together a bit of an up-and-down campaign, posting a 3.96 ERA across a career-high 32 appearances.
New York would've turned to ace Gerritt Cole for the fifth time in his career if he were healthy, but with the righty set to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season, they'll look for Rodon to get them started on a high note.
Newly signed left-hander Max Fried was also an potential option to start the opener, but the Yanks didn't want to throw him off his schedule, so he will take the ball for the second game of the season as planned.
The New York Rangers were reportedly closer to acquiring JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres than many people may actually realize.
There were rumblings that the Rangers had an interest in Peterka, but those rumors ultimately quieted down in the hours leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline.
According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, not only did the Rangers talk to Buffalo's brass about the potential of acquiring Peterka, but they had a massive offer on the table.
“I know that the Rangers were one of two or three teams to put a bonafide, legitimate offer on the table [for Peterka]. I think [they] offered up a roster player and a 1st-round pick ... I don't know who the roster player was,” Seravalli said.
The Rangers made a few minor trades, but did not pull the trigger on a deal for Peterka.
It’s unclear why a trade fell through and how close the two teams were to agreeing on this potential blockbuster deal.
Peterka remains on the Sabres for now with the trade deadline already past.
The 23-year-old forward has recorded 19 goals, 32 assists and 51 points this season while averaging 18:14 minutes this season.
Clay Holmes, who has excelled as his stuff has played up during spring training while making a transition from reliever to starter, was named the Mets' Opening Day starting pitcher.
"He earned it," manager Carlos Mendoza said on Friday. "We like what we're seeing. I know it's a small sample size here, but it's really encouraging. He really put himself in a really good position. Showed up here early in camp. He was ahead of everyone.
"But again, I think it's more how he's looked so far making that transition, and we're comfortable with him going on Opening Day."
Added Mendoza: "I know he's worked really hard. Proud of him."
Mendoza noted that Kodai Senga, whose preparation for the season has been methodical following a year that was mostly lost due to multiple injuries, is expected to pitch one of the first five games of the season.
Senga is starting the Mets' spring training game on Friday at 6:10 p.m. on SNY, and is expected to pitch about four innings.
Joining Holmes and Senga in the rotation will be David Peterson, and two pitchers from the depth group of Griffin Canning, Paul Blackburn, and Tylor Megill.
Unlike Canning and Blackburn, Megill can be sent to the minors without the Mets running the risk of losing him.
The Mets' rotation is undermanned at the moment, with Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) dealing with injuries.
The Mets open the season on March 27 against the Astros in Houston as they begin a three-game series. After a day off on March 30, they begin a three-game set with the Marlins in Miami on March 31. Following an off day on April 3, the Mets' home opener at Citi Field will take place on April 4 against the Blue Jays.
The Phillies’ top minor-leaguers won their Spring Breakout game against the Pirates on a day that began with their No. 1 prospect reaching his next checkpoint.
Andrew Painter threw his first live batting practice session of the spring on Friday morning, facing Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott.
“Small sample size today but biggest takeaway was how the changeup’s pretty good,” Painter said. “It’s something I’ve been working on. I threw a couple to Marsh and he said it looked pretty good. Felt like I could land most things for a strike.”
To this point in camp, Painter had been throwing side sessions or bullpen sessions at less than 100% intensity. He wasn’t going all-out during Friday’s live BP, either.
“Still easing in, first one,” he said. “Two years ago, the first one felt really good and that led into some problems. I’ll take it easy here, a few more, just kinda build off every one.”
Two years ago, Painter entered camp as the perceived frontrunner in the Phillies’ No. 5 starter’s battle. He was being built up to begin the season because even at 19, the front office felt he had a body and skillset to pitch in the major leagues. An early highlight that spring was Kyle Schwarber homering off Painter during live BP a few days into full-squad workouts and playfully letting him hear about it.
Painter started a game against the Twins early that spring and showcased an upper-90s fastball but was quickly shelved by elbow soreness that eventually required Tommy John surgery. Painter missed all of 2024 recovering but felt good enough toward the end of the year to participate in the Arizona Fall League, where he excelled. The Phillies’ plan with him in 2025 is to bring him back up to speed slowly, saving the bulk of his innings for the second half when those innings could come in the majors.
Painter will throw a side session on Tuesday and will have a couple more live BPs before the Phillies break camp. When the season begins, he’ll stay back in Florida to keep working before eventually pitching in minor-league games.
Phils win Spring Breakout
The Phillies’ top prospects beat the Pirates’ top prospects, 5-3, at BayCare Ballpark. The Phils scored twice in the third inning and took the lead for good on a solo home run in the seventh by second baseman Carson DeMartini.
DeMartini was involved in a scare earlier in the afternoon when he was hit by a pitch on the wrist from left-hander Anthony Solometo. DeMartini stayed in the game and scored in the inning as infielders Devin Saltiban and Aroon Escobar hit back-to-back doubles at the bottom of the order off of Solometo, a Bishop Eustace product from Voorhees, NJ. The Phils’ bats were glad to see Bubba Chandler, a Pirates top prospect, exit the game after pumping consistent 99 mph fastballs the first two innings.
Phillies director of player development Luke Murton was in the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast booth with Tom McCarthy and Cole Hamels as the bottom of the third unfolded and expressed how intrigued the Phillies are by Saltiban’s power and the development Escobar is showing. Both are 20 years old.
The top of the order included players who have already appeared in big-league spring training games for the Phillies: Justin Crawford, Aidan Miller, Gabriel Rincones Jr., Otto Kemp. Hitting second was left fielder Dante Nori, the Phillies’ first-round pick last summer.
Crawford showed his speed in that two-run third by legging out a chopper to a drawn-in third baseman. He later tripled. Miller and Nori went hitless.
Moises Chace, acquired from Baltimore last summer for Gregory Soto, started and struck out two in a scoreless first inning. Conditioning and velo have been focal points for him in camp. His fastball was 91-92 mph on Friday compared to the mid-high-90s last season.
Jean Cabrera, who like Chace is on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, followed with two scoreless innings, working around two hit batsmen.
TOKYO — It’s only two games to start the Major League Baseball season — the World Series-champion Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome.
For the record, the MLB regular season consists of almost 2,500 games.
But it’s much more for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was born in Japan. And for Shohei Ohtani and the four other Japanese players competing at home for the Dodgers and Cubs.
Then there’s MLB, which opens its regular season for the second straight year in the Asian market. A year ago it was Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers and San Diego Padres split two games. It was also where the betting scandal broke around Ohtani’s interpreter.
“It’s hard to tell if this is the golden age for Japanese players in the United States,” Ohtani said, speaking through an interpreter, as both teams trained at the Tokyo Dome.
“I know there’s been a lot of Japanese players that came before me,” Ohtani added. “But having five (Japanese players) is a big deal. It’s truly a big deal.”
Asked what he was most looking forward to, Ohtani replied: “Eating good food, getting over the jetlag, and just being able to enjoy playing the game.”
Roberts back in Japan
It’s a homecoming for Roberts, who was born on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa to a Japanese mother and an American father. He’s expecting relatives to attend from Okinawa, where last year he was honored by officials there.
“For me it’s personal because I get to represent my mom’s side of the family,” Roberts said. “I have a lot of relatives and family that can watch this baseball game — watch a Dodgers game at night instead of having to watch us in the morning.”
The time difference between Japan and the American east coast is 13 hours, and Japan is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Japan is Dodgers country, swept away by Ohtani, the World Series title, and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They are expected to be the Dodgers starters against the Cubs.
“I think our mission was accomplished painting the country of Japan in Dodgers blue,” Roberts said.
Yamamoto and Ohtani talked about the joy of being home, as did Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, the likely DH. Imanaga is expected to start against Yamamoto in the first game.
“I hope my teammates are really enjoying Japan right now,” Ohtani said. “But also I hope the fans get to see my teammates enjoying Japan.”
Ohtani says pitching on track
Ohtani was reminded that he has not thrown a bullpen session in several weeks as he hopes to return to pitching after missing out last season following elbow surgery.
“I want to prioritize the hitting aspect as we’re getting into the season, to give a little breather mentally and physically to the pitching side of thing,” he said. “This is according to plan and I’m pleased with how things have been going.”
Sasaki with something to prove
For Sasaki, it’s different. The 23-year-old signed with the Dodgers two months ago and needs to prove himself, though many feel he’s a can’t-miss prospect.
“I literally was in Japan until a couple of months ago,” he said through an interpreter. “For me it’s more about being able to pitch in a different uniform on a different team and make sure I do perform at my best.”
Sasaki met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in his office and gave him an autographed Dodgers cap. He was accompanied by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.
“I’m truly happy that the Dodgers are opening the season in Japan,” Japanese media reported Ishiba as saying.
Cubs party with Imanaga and Suzuki
Cubs manager Craig Counsell talked about a party thrown by Imanaga and Suzuki to welcome the other Cubs to Japan. For most it’s the first visit.
What impressed Counsell was a large tuna that was carved up in a ceremony at the party. Sashimi and sushi for all.
“We had tuna cut open,” Counsell said. “Some of the players participated in that, which was scary for a second with players with knives in their hands. But other than that it was great.”
Counsell said the trip to Japan was about “kizuna,” which is the Japanese word for bonding. He’s obviously been schooled by his Japanese players.
“That started for our team last night with the great party and being able to be together,” Counsell said.
TOKYO — The spotlight will be on slugger Shohei Ohtani when the superstar returns to Japan and leads the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs in the first two games of the Major League Baseball season at the Tokyo Dome.
He won’t be the only one playing in front of his home country.
Four other Japanese players — LA’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, along with Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga — will be on the field in a display of how deep the talent pool is in the country.
The outsized attention on Ohtani is understandable: He’s coming off one of the best seasons in MLB history and won his third MVP award after becoming the first player to hit at least 50 homers and steal at least 50 bases in the same season.
Ohtani had offseason surgery on his left shoulder following the World Series but is expected to start at designated hitter for the Dodgers in Japan after hitting .353 with two doubles and a homer in spring training.
The other four Japanese players are all accomplished in their own right. Here’s a look at each player as the opener approaches on March 18.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers, RHP
Yamamoto came to the Dodgers before last season, signing a 12-year, $325 million deal that was somewhat overshadowed by Ohtani’s monster 10-year, $700 million deal.
When healthy, Yamamoto was very good in his first big league season, finishing with a 7-2 record, a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts over 90 innings. He was also solid in the postseason with a 2-0 record and a 3.86 ERA.
Yamamoto missed about three months last season with a shoulder injury. The 26-year-old has been healthy so far this spring and will be the starting pitcher for the season opener.
He played seven seasons for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan before coming to the U.S., where he had a 70-29 record along with a miniscule 1.82 ERA.
Seiya Suzuki, Cubs, OF/DH
The 30-year-old Suzuki has been an important part of the Cubs lineup for the past three seasons. He just finished his best season in the big leagues, batting .283 with 21 homers, 73 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and 27 doubles.
Suzuki has played most of his games in right field for the Cubs, but is just an average fielder. Manager Craig Counsell says Suzuki might be utilized more as a designated hitter this season after the addition of All-Star Kyle Tucker, who the team acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros.
He played nine seasons for the Hiroshima Carp before signing with the Cubs, batting .309 with 189 career homers.
Roki Sasaki, Dodgers, RHP
Sasaki is the youngest of the Japanese players in Tokyo for the series at 23 years old.
This is the lanky 6-foot-2 right-hander’s first season in the U.S. after playing four seasons for the Chiba Lotte Mariners, where he had an overpowering fastball that could touch 100 mph. He’s dealt with injuries over the past few years, which has limited his time on the mound.
Even so, Sasaki was electric in his spring training debut, striking out five over three scoreless innings. His fastball was clocked in the high 90s and he has a devastating splitter that coaxes plenty of swing-and-miss.
Sasaki signed a minor league contract that had a signing bonus of $6.5 million, though he’s expected to be on the big league roster. Because he’s under 25 and did not have six years of service time in Japan, Sasaki was considered an international amateur by MLB’s rules and was limited to a minor league deal with a limited signing bonus.
Shota Imanaga, Cubs, LHP
The 31-year-old Imanaga made an immediate impact last season with the Cubs, making the National League All-Star team and finishing with a 15-3 record and 2.91 ERA. He’s expected to be the team’s ace in 2025 and will pitch against Yamamoto in the first game in Tokyo.
Imanaga doesn’t have an overpowering fastball, with the pitch usually sitting in the low 90s, but the left-hander has a quality splitter and mixes his pitches well. Before coming to the U.S., he pitched eight seasons for the Yokohoma BayStars and was 64-50 with a 3.18 ERA.
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The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani enters the field at the Tokyo Dome for a workout on Friday ahead of next week's Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
They screamed.
They screamed and made that noise that crowds make when thousands of people scream at the same time, that sound that is heard when the home team takes a lead late in a playoff game.
Imagine if Ohtani had actually taken batting practice Friday like most of the other Dodgers hitters. Imagine the reaction of the 10,507 fans who packed the lower-bowl seats behind home plate and the two foul lines at the Tokyo Dome.
The crowd’s response to Ohtani, however, reestablished a longstanding truth about the Dodgers: In Japan’s view, there is Ohtani and then there is everyone else.
The Dodgers are the Rolling Stones and Ohtani is Mick Jagger.
“If not for Ohtani, I don’t think all of Japan would be in a frenzy like this,” said Taka Hattori, a 51-year-old fan who wore a custom-made No. 17 jersey with “SHOTIME” embroidered across the back.
Fans cramped into a nearby 30,000-square-foot hall that was transformed into a temporary souvenir store. Hundreds showed up the previous day at Haneda Airport to catch a glimpse of the Dodgers, who arrived for the Tokyo Series, their season-opening, two-game set against the Chicago Cubs that starts on Tuesday.
More than 1,000 media credentials were issued for the games, which are sold out. The asking price on the secondary market for the least-expensive tickets are in the neighborhood of $1,500.
Hattori paid 18,000 yen, or about $120, to join the Dodgers’ fan club, which entered him into a lottery for Japan Series tickets.
Hattori settled for the workout on Friday, as he was able to purchase tickets from a friend at their face value of 2,000 yen, or about $13.
“I personally really like Ichiro [Suzuki],” Hattori said. “I was able to watch Ichiro play here on opening day. But it wasn’t like this.”
Hattori described Ohtani as being “from another universe.”
“Of course, Ohtani is a representative of Japan,” Hattori said. “But it doesn’t matter any more whether he’s Japanese, American or Korean. I feel he’s reached the level at which he is not a representative of any particular country but is rather a representative of baseball.”
Runa Misaki traveled from her hometown of Osaka to watch the workout with her friend Yuko Hanashima.
Fans try on Dodgers caps at a souvenir store at the Tokyo Dome on Friday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
They said they were drawn to Ohtani as much by his personality as his performances.
“I think he really likes baseball,” Hanashima said. “I think he likes baseball more than anyone. I think that’s why children like him so much.”
Misaki said she would return to Tokyo on Sunday for an exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers. Tickets for that game, as well as for a game on Saturday against the Yomiuri Giants, are being sold on the secondary market for more than $600.
“I would like them to open here every season,” Misaki said.
Ohtani’s popularity here is such that other Dodgers have also become famous by association.
Fans waved en masse at manager Dave Roberts, who waved back. They shouted the names of Teoscar Hernández and Miguel Rojas. They shrieked with delight when Freeman acknowledged them with an affectionate wave of the glove.
They also watched batting practice with the same focus with which they would watch a game. Binoculars and mobile phone cameras were pointed at the batter’s box. Some fans observed the action while clutching sleeping babies. The conclusion of every round of batting practice was followed by applause.
Mind you, this was for a workout. The first official game was still four days away.
Fans intently watch the Dodgers work out at the Tokyo Dome on Friday. More than 10,000 people filled the lower bowl of the stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
For much of the last two years, the Dodgers have felt like Major League Baseball’s Team of Japan.
They signed Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They struck advertising deal after advertising deal with some of the country’s biggest companies. All of their games are now shown on Japanese television. Team officials have stated their mission to “paint Japan blue” and become the nation’s most popular MLB team.
But this week, over their first 24 hours in Tokyo for a season-opening trip, they got to actually feel what being Japan’s team is like.
On Thursday hundreds of people decked out in Dodgers gear flocked to the arrival hall at Tokyo Haneda Airport, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team as it exited its flight from Phoenix. (Unfortunately for them, partitions had been erected that kept players and staff shielded from view.)
On Friday thousands roamed the streets around the Tokyo Dome ahead of the team’s first official workout — with Dodgers hats, jerseys and T-shirts again dominating the scene.
Nothing, however, compared to what the players witnessed once they got inside: 10,507 fans, in a nearly universal sea of white and blue, packed into the lower bowl of the historic ballpark.
All to watch a mundane, routine, run-of-the-mill workout.
“This is crazy, amazing,” manager Dave Roberts said, his eyes wide as he walked out of the dugout and surveyed the sprawling scene.
“It’s been overwhelming,” added shortstop Miguel Rojas, who was loudly applauded after a rudimentary round of batting of practice. “To say the least.”
Fans wave at Shohei Ohtani as he leaves the field following a workout with the Dodgers at the Tokyo Dome on Friday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers knew their popularity in Japan had skyrocketed. It was evident last year in the increased Japanese media attention around the team. The spike of foreign fans at games. The videos splashed across social media of Japanese supporters celebrating the World Series title as their own.
“We know that every morning, in the middle of the morning, the Dodger games are broadcast here in Japan,” Roberts said. “We can tell by the Japanese enthusiasm at games, whether it be at Dodger Stadium or on the road.”
But, Roberts noted Friday, in an afternoon news conference before hundreds of reporters at the Tokyo Dome Hotel, “this is our first opportunity to come to the country of Japan, the city of Tokyo, and actually see Japanese people come support us in their home country.”
And even for him — someone of Japanese heritage, who still has family in Japan and who spent time in the country this offseason — it didn’t take long to be unexpectedly impressed.
While out in the Tokyo neighborhood of Shibuya after the Dodgers got into town, Roberts said he instantly was struck by sight of the team’s brand on city streets.
“I saw a lot of Dodger hats,” he said.
With the Dodgers scheduled to play a Saturday exhibition against the Tokyo Dome’s normal tenant, the Yomuiri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, Roberts wondered whether there might actually be more Dodgers gear in the crowd.
“There’s going to be a lot of representation,” he said.
Almost all such attention has been generated by the acquisitions of Sasaki, Yamamoto and, most of all, Ohtani over the last two offseasons. Ohtani didn’t spend much time on the field Friday, appearing for a little more than 10 minutes and doing no more than stretches and baserunning drills. But his mere appearance triggered a roar inside the domed stadium. And when he exited the field, photographers scrambled to capture his every step.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani enters the field at the Tokyo Dome for a team workout Friday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“When Sho came running out of the dugout,” infielder Max Muncy said, “that was a pretty cool moment for all of us to witness.”
Fans right behind the dugout called out almost every player by name — right down to minor-league reliever Jack Dreyer, who has yet to make his MLB debut. In addition to the applause that accompanied each and every round of batting practice, the crowd cheered for strong throws from outfielders, pitchers making catches in foul territory and every deep drive hit to or over the tall outfield wall.
“I don’t normally try to hit home runs in batting practice,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “But I felt like I had to today.”
Muncy described the day as a boost of energy for the team, which will play another exhibition against a Japanese opponent Sunday before beginning its season with two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It was good for us to have that,” Muncy said. “The long flight, everyone’s still feeling tired from that. So I think that kind of gave everyone a little bit of a boost, just to have fun with it.”
The other thing it provided the Dodgers: perspective — on their popularity in Japan, ascendant place on the world stage and ever-growing prevalence even 5,000 miles from home.
“It’s all over the world,” Rojas said. “I think the Dodgers are trying to get right there with the biggest organizations in the world. I’m talking about Real Madrid, Barcelona, all the teams that are worldwide. And I think the Dodgers are really close to that.”
Dodgers players stand in the dugout while "God Bless America" plays during the seventh-inning stretch of Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 26. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Poring over fantasy baseball player rankings can be jarring for diehard fans of a specific team who don't pay much attention to the other 29 clubs.
That might be especially true for the legions of devoted, deliriously satiated Dodgers followers this year.
Dodgers fans might be tempted to simply pick as many Boys in Blue as they can. But a team of all or even mostly Dodgers would be hard-pressed to win a fantasy league, which usually consists of 10 to 12 teams. Players from all 30 MLB teams are available in "mixed" leagues, the most common format, meaning that even a slap-dash fantasy team should have more talent than the best team of living, breathing humans.
Scott Pianowski, a Yahoo fantasy analyst since 2008 and member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Hall of Fame, brought up another reason not to load up on Dodgers: Their best players might be rested frequently, the baseball equivalent of load management. Players need to be in the lineup to accumulate fantasy points.
"I've never seen a team so assured of a playoff spot than the 2025 Dodgers," he said. "They want their healthiest team ready for October. They might decide they used their regulars too much last year. They might back off on workloads, and not just with pitchers.
"My advice: Draft a Dodger, don't draft five Dodgers."
Fantasy gurus assign a number to where a player is projected to be taken, calling it his Average Draft Position. Regardless of whether league scoring uses old-fashioned rotisserie categories or head-to-head points, the ADP of the two most desirable Dodgers establish that it would be nearly impossible to draft both.
Mookie Betts is a consensus top-10 pick because he qualifies as a shortstop as well as an outfielder (a player is eligible at a position he played in 20 or more games the previous season). In his fifth Dodgers season, Betts played 65 games at shortstop and 43 in the outfield. He also played 18 at second base, nearly becoming eligible at a third position.
Most drafts use a snake format in which the order of picks reverses each round. Whoever gets the top pick — say Ohtani — in a 10-team league wouldn't pick again until the Nos. 20 and 21 picks. Betts would be long gone and Dodgers first baseman and World Series hero Freddie Freeman — whose ADP is 19 with Yahoo and 22 with ESPN — also might be taken.
So let's say you had the No. 1 pick and landed Ohtani, missed out on Betts and took Freeman with the 20th pick to end the second round. Now you have the first pick of the third round and quickly realize that no other Dodger makes sense this early.
Among position players, outfielder Teoscar Hernández is projected as a sixth-round pick and catcher Will Smith a 10th-rounder by numerous fantasy prognosticators. Tommy Edman is draftable late because of his versatility. Same with Max Muncy because of his power. But that's it unless — like Pianowski — you consider new Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto a sleeper whose home run production dipped during two years in the San Francisco Giants' cavernous AT&T Park, but last season he hit 17 homers on the road.
Want to mix in an Angel? How about Mike Trout? It wasn't so long ago that he was the no-brainer first overall selection in thousands of fantasy drafts. But after several injury-riddled seasons, the future Hall of Famer checks in as the 41st-best outfielder by ESPN. His Yahoo ADP is 93, an indication he'll be available in the ninth round.
Yet the top Dodgers pitcher in the projections is Snell, whom ESPN ranks as only the 12th-best MLB starter with an ADP of 44. Next are Yamamoto with an ADP of 51 and Glasnow at 91. Sasaki is projected as a 10th-rounder. Kershaw, May, Tony Gonsolin and Bobby Miller? All are either recently recovered or still recovering from an injury. It's buyer beware.
Dodgers relievers are modestly valued as well because it's unclear who will accumulate the bulk of the saves. Newcomer Tanner Scott has an ADP of 166, despite notching 22 saves and a 1.75 earned-run average last season with two teams. Kirby Yates has an ADP of 193, despite posting 33 saves and a 1.17 ERA with the Texas Rangers.
Decorated Dodgers bullpen pieces Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia? Your choice in the final rounds. Or you could grab former Dodger and new Angels closer Kenley Jansen, whose Yahoo ADP is 236 even though his ninth-inning role is a given.
The usage of pitchers has evolved in recent years, impacting fantasy values. Starters pitcher fewer innings, no longer accumulating wins and strikeouts in abundance. More than one reliever will be trusted in save situations, depending on matchups. Catastrophic injuries to pitchers are commonplace.
"The Dodgers probably will use a six-man rotation, so the sneaky value might be their relievers," Pianowski said. "Non-closing relievers are much more valuable. More wins are distributed to the bullpen. If I'm an owner in a deep mixed league, I would draft any of those Dodgers relievers."
Crunching these numbers unearths one irrefutable truth about drafting a fantasy team: Don't be a homer. See more than Blue.
Angling for a starting pitcher in the second round? The ADP's of Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Zack Wheeler merit a pick that high. Otherwise, the numbers point to grabbing another hitter.
Everybody wants to identify sleepers late in the draft. Some leagues even allow drafting minor league players. If that's the case, revisit your Dodgers devotion by taking Dalton Rushing. Then smile.
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Texas Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford will start the season on the injured list because of soreness in his throwing elbow.
Bradford had an MRI this week that came back clean, but Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters on Thursday the club will shut him down for 10 days to see how he responds. Bradford was scratched from a scheduled start on Wednesday.
Bradford is the second Texas starter to get hurt this week after Tyler Mahle was scratched from a start with forearm soreness. The right-hander expected to start throwing again in a few days.
The 27-year-old Bradford went 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 13 starts last season after appearing eight times the year before. He also pitched in five playoff games during the Rangers’ 2023 World Series run.
