Dodgers open Cactus League with loss; Bobby Miller exits after comebacker to head
Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws 27 pitches and Bobby Miller takes a comebacker off his head and is placed into concussion protocol during the Dodgers' 12-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
PHOENIX — The Dodgers’ first spring game of 2025 began with a reminder of 2024.
“Now taking the field,” the public address announcer at Camelback Ranch said Thursday afternoon, “your 2024 world champion Los Angeles Dodgers!”
Come October, the Dodgers’ hope is to be back in the World Series, trying to become Major League Baseball’s first repeat champion in a quarter-century. For now, however, they still are breaking in their new-look roster, getting a first glimpse of this squad in a 12-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs in their Cactus League opener.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the Dodgers’ starting pitcher, just as he is expected to be for their season opener in Japan next month. The 26-year-old right-hander threw 27 pitches over 12/3 scoreless innings, giving up three singles while striking out two and averaging 95.5 mph with his fastball.
It was the latest encouraging step this spring for Yamamoto, who manager Dave Roberts said this week is “considerably ahead” of where he was last year — when Yamamoto still was getting acclimated to the Dodgers after signing a record $325-million contract out of Japan.
He went on to post an earned-run average of 3.00 ERA in 18 starts and was the Dodgers’ most consistent starter in the postseason.
“Having one full season under my belt, this year I know how to prepare myself based on what I experienced last year,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.
“And also, with Doc and the coaches, I know how to communicate with everybody,” Yamamoto added. “I think the communication is better than last year.”
Mookie Betts was back at shortstop, returning to the position after an inconsistent three-month stint during the first half of last season. Betts cleanly fielded all three grounders that came his way, including two up the middle that took awkward hops off the mound.
“I’m really excited to prove everybody wrong,” Betts said this week of his return to shortstop, where he committed nine errors (eight of them throwing) last season. “All the people that doubt me, they’ll see.”
Elsewhere around the diamond, new South Korean signing Hyeseong Kim made his Dodgers debut at second base, and drew a walk at the plate. Nonroster invitee Eddie Rosario — the most valuable player of the 2021 National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves against the Dodgers — opened the scoring for the Dodgers with a two-run home run in the second inning. Outfield prospect Zyhir Hope, a fast-rising 20-year-old acquired from the Cubs in a trade for Michael Busch last offseason, also made two impressive catches in left, sliding for one and crashing into the wall for another.
There was one scary moment. In the top of the third inning, pitcher Bobby Miller was struck in the head by a 106-mph comebacker off the bat of Busch. The ball sent Miller’s hat flying off his head and left the 25-year-old former starter with a large red welt on his forehead.
Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller reacts after being hit by a line drive of the bat of Chicago’s Michael Busch during the third inning Thursday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller speaks with a team trainer after taking a comebacker off his head during Thursday’s Cactus League opener.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
“That’s always very terrifying and frightening,” said Max Muncy, who played third base.
However, Miller was able to walk off the field under his own power. And while he was getting checked out by a trainer on the mound, Muncy said the pitcher even joked about hanging a curveball on the pitch that came back to hit him.
Roberts said Miller is in concussion protocol and will be monitored over the next couple of days.
“Very scary moment,” Roberts said, “but it was good to see him actually walk off the field and know where he was at.”
Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani speaks to reporters Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Shohei Ohtani didn’t take part in Thursday’s game as he continues to progress as both a hitter and pitcher following shoulder surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum and a 2023 Tommy John revision procedure that prevented him from pitching last season.
However, as a hitter, Ohtani remains on track to be in the lineup in time for opening day. The team’s hope is to have him begin live batting practice next week and start hitting in Cactus League games around the start of March.
On the mound, Ohtani already is tinkering with changes to his delivery, even though he isn’t expected to be ready to pitch in games until roughly a month into the season.
The biggest alteration: Ohtani has reincorporated a windup into his delivery — a change from his Angels days when he primarily pitched out of the stretch.
“As part of being a baseball player, I do want to explore different options, different avenues, to see if I could grow as a player,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton, adding that he intends to use the windup in games as well.
“That’s my plan,” he said. “But again, [as I continue] increasing the intensity [in my pitching], I do want to see how the body responds, how I respond to it. So yes, as of now, that’s the plan.”
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