Japanese pitching star Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced the minimum six batters, striking out three, in his Dodger spring training debut Wednesday against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers in Surprise, Arizona.
Yamamoto struck out the first batter he faced, Marcus Semien on five pitches, allowed a single to Evan Carter, then induced Wyatt Langford, a nonroster player who was the fourth choice in the 2023 MLB draft, to hit into an inning-ending double play.
In the second, Yamamoto struck out Nathaniel Lowe on three pitches. Jonah Heim flew out to left fielder Miguel Vargas on the first pitch of his at-bat. Yamamoto struck out the final batter he faced, Leody Taveras, on four pitches.
Yamamoto threw 19 pitches, 16 for strikes.
Langford was the only batter Yamamoto faced who did not play in the major leagues in 2023.
The Dodgers lost the game at Surprise Stadium, 6-4, for their first spring training loss after five victories.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week the team hopes to have Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow start the two regular-season games in South Korea against the San Diego Padres on March 20-21.
The Dodgers signed the 25-year-old right-hander to a 12-year, $325 million contract Dec. 27, the largest deal for a pitcher in terms of years and value in Major League Baseball history. They also paid a $50.6 million posting fee to Yamamoto’s previous team, the Orix Buffaloes, ESPN reported.
Yamamoto was the MVP of Japan’s Pacific League and winner of the league’s Eiji Sawamura Award as its best starting pitcher each of the past three seasons.