Thursday, March 21, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers have completed their first series of the 2024 regular season, earning a split against the San Diego Padres. The gambling story involving Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter overshadowed the series. So far, Ohtani is the victim of this scandal, but no one has gone beyond the surface.
The performance by Yoshinobu Yamamoto must be concerning. The Dodgers signed Yamamoto to be their ace for years to come. They gave him the most lucrative contract by a starting pitcher. So far, Yamamoto looks like a bust.
I know I’m overreacting, but this is what everyone does in baseball at this stage of the regular season. After his first start in spring training, Yamamoto has struggled with his control. Yes, Yamamoto must adjust to the baseball size, the mound’s feel, the pitching schedule, the culture, and the food. The Dodgers will try to have Yamamoto pitch only once a week.
Lasting one inning and allowing five runs is depressing for Yamamoto and the Dodgers. Dave Roberts didn’t want to remove the rookie before the inning finished. Yamamoto must improve quickly, or the Dodgers need to demote their prized pitching free agent signing to Oklahoma City.
Max Muncy’s defense at third base is worrisome. During spring training, Muncy looked better at third base. Thursday’s game was not a good one for his defense. While he has lost 25 pounds, he can’t field a ground ball.
Mookie Betts looks comfortable at shortstop and drove in 6 runs, including a home run. He is posed to have a big season.
