Both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason on a pair of contracts that entrenches them with the team for the foreseeable future. The pursuit of their services wasn’t an easy path, with numerous clubs making their pitch.
The San Francisco Giants attempted to sign Ohtani, making the same contract offer as was agreed to with the Dodgers. They then remained in the mix for Yamamoto, but, the Dodgers snagged him, too.
Their pivot move was to sign Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal. He missed Monday’s game between the Dodgers and Giants because of a dislocated left shoulder, and is now on the injured list.
Yamamoto started Monday’s game, working around some early trouble and keeping the Dodgers in a decent spot to win, whereas Ohtani added two hits of his own. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also spoke on his pair of stars and what it means to have them on his roster, per Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“Having those two guys in orange and black would change the landscape,” Roberts said pregame, before adding with a grin. “I think they look better in Dodger blue.”
Yamamoto and Ohtani alone complete an offseason for any franchise, let alone both in the same month. They’ve also been highly productive early in their tenure’s with the Dodgers, making for a good first impression.
The Giants went a different route, signing infielder Matt Chapman to a three-year, $54 million contract, and reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
Snell is currently returning from an adductor injury, but owns an 11.57 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 1.97 WHIP in three starts. Chapman is in the same boat spinning in the Bay Area, carrying a 73 wRC+ with a .209/.344/.266 slash in 42 games.
Dodgers riding momentum into San Francisco
Since May 1, the Dodgers are 9-2, and have built up a 6.5 game lead in the National League West.
Their home record (15-8) has regulated from their early season woes, and their performance on the road (13-7) is nothing to discount, either. The Dodgers are the lone club with a plus record in the NL West, showing their organizational depth and withstanding injuries on the bullpen front.
Defeating the Giants on Monday was a lot about fighting back, to which they’ve continued to do with a different brand of baseball, aside from just the long ball.
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