Dodgers Bobby Miller in concussion protocol after | College News

PHOENIX — The Dodgers’ first spring sport of 2025 started with a reminder of 2024.

“Now taking the field,” the public handle announcer at Camelback Ranch stated Thursday afternoon, “your 2024 world champion Los Angeles Dodgers!”

Come October, the Dodgers’ hope is to be back in the World Series, attempting to develop into Major League Baseball’s first repeat champion in a quarter-century. For now, nevertheless, they nonetheless 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’ beginning pitcher, simply as he’s anticipated to be for his or her season opener in Japan subsequent month. The 26-year-old right-hander threw 27 pitches over 12/3 scoreless innings, giving up three singles whereas placing out two and averaging 95.5 mph together with his fastball.

It was the most recent encouraging step this spring for Yamamoto, who supervisor Dave Roberts stated this week is “considerably ahead” of the place he was final 12 months — when Yamamoto nonetheless was getting acclimated to the Dodgers after signing a file $325-million contract out of Japan.

He went on to post an earned-run average of 3.00 ERA in 18 begins and was the Dodgers’ most constant 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 stated by means of 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 place after an inconsistent three-month stint during the primary half of final season. Betts cleanly fielded all three grounders that got here his approach, together with two up the center that took awkward hops off the mound.

“I’m really excited to prove everybody wrong,” Betts stated this week of his return to shortstop, the place he dedicated 9 errors (eight of them throwing) final season. “All the people that doubt me, they’ll see.”

Elsewhere across the diamond, new South Korean signing Hyeseong Kim made his Dodgers debut at second base, and drew a stroll on the plate. Nonroster invitee Eddie Rosario — essentially the most worthwhile participant of the 2021 National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves in opposition to 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 commerce for Michael Busch final offseason, additionally made two spectacular catches in left, sliding for one and crashing into the wall for an additional.

There was one scary second. In the highest of the third inning, pitcher Bobby Miller was struck in the top by a 106-mph comebacker off the bat of Busch. The ball despatched Miller’s hat flying off his head and left the 25-year-old former starter with a giant crimson welt on his brow.

Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller speaks with a workforce coach after taking a comebacker off his head during Thursday’s Cactus League opener.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“That’s always very terrifying and frightening,” stated Max Muncy, who performed third base.

However, Miller was in a position to stroll off the sphere below his own energy. And whereas he was getting checked out by a coach on the mound, Muncy stated the pitcher even joked about hanging a curveball on the pitch that got here back to hit him.

Roberts stated Miller is in concussion protocol and shall be monitored over the following couple of days.

“Very scary moment,” Roberts stated, “but it was good to see him actually walk off the field and know where he was at.”

Ohtani working from wind-up

Dodgers two-way participant Shohei Ohtani speaks to reporters Thursday at Camelback Ranch.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Shohei Ohtani didn’t participate in Thursday’s sport as he continues to progress as each a hitter and pitcher following shoulder surgical procedure this offseason to restore a torn labrum and a 2023 Tommy John revision process that prevented him from pitching final season.

However, as a hitter, Ohtani stays on monitor to be in the lineup in time for opening day. The workforce’s hope is to have him start dwell batting follow subsequent week and begin hitting in Cactus League video games across the begin of March.

On the mound, Ohtani already is tinkering with adjustments to his supply, despite the fact that he isn’t anticipated to be able to pitch in sport motion till roughly a month into the season.

The greatest alteration: Ohtani has reincorporated a windup into his supply — 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 stated by means of interpreter Will Ireton, including that he intends to make use of the windup in video games as properly.

“That’s my plan,” he stated. “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.”