Dave Roberts Reveals Dodgers Starting Pitcher for Spring Training Opener vs Cubs
The Los Angeles Dodgers open Cactus League play on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. Just about one month later, they’ll open the regular season in Japan, also against the Cubs.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound to start each game.
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On Wednesday, manager Dave Roberts said Yamamoto is set to start Thursday in the team’s Cactus League opener. Yamamoto has had a quick ramp up this spring, having already thrown multiple bullpen sessions, including a quick one on Wednesday.
Roberts has noted multiple times this spring that Yamamoto is “considerably ahead” of where he was at this point last year.
Thursday will provide a great barometer of where the 26-year-old is at entering his second year in Major League Baseball.
“Yamamoto is considerably ahead of where he was last year,” Roberts said. “And every time he throws a baseball, he’s getting better. The command, the delivery is just really good. The slider he was throwing today, it just looks like he’s hitting the ground running.”
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Yamamoto will get into a few Cactus League games this year as he ramps up for the March 18 opener against the Cubs.
He’ll be focused on this year’s season opener being better than last year’s in Korea, when he pitched just one inning, allowing five earned runs against the San Diego Padres.
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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