The Los Angeles Dodgers’ significant investment of $1.2 billion to assemble a formidable roster.
The investment included the stellar additions of Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and it has positioned them as the team to beat in the upcoming Major League Baseball season.
Yu Darvish, the pitcher for the San Diego Padres and a native of Japan, has expressed his determination to beat the Dodgers each and every time they play.
What did Yu Darvish say?
With the acquisition of the Japanese pair, Darvish appears to be focused on eliminating the Dodgers, given his past interactions with them. The Padres and Dodgers are scheduled to begin the season in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20–21. He is also a candidate to take the mound on one of the Opening Days.
Ohtani will make his official debut on the Asian tour. As he recovers from surgery, he will only be available as a designated hitter this season. Darvish now has the chance to evaluate himself against one of the top players in the major leagues.
“I’ve never taken on Ohtani, the slugger, but I will. I’m excited to throw against the Dodgers, and there won’t be as many holes in their lineup,” he said.
Facing the Los Angeles-based Japanese players is a unique challenge for him. He does concede that Mike Shildt, his manager, has the last say over whether or not he plays in the opening game.