New Los Angeles Dodger Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed two shutout innings on one hit and three strikeouts in his first spring training game Wednesday.
Yamamoto, who in December penned the most valuable contract ever offered to a pitcher with a 12-year, $325 million deal, hurled 16 strikes with his 19 pitches in a Cactus League game against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers.
"I could pitch while staying calm. There were lots of positives," the 25-year-old right-hander said after the game, which ended in a 6-4 defeat for the Dodgers. "I'm a bit relieved. Now I'll see how things go when I pitch more innings."
Yamamoto struck out Rangers leadoff Marcus Semien swinging with three pitches to start the game before allowing a single, but ended the first inning with a double play. The former Orix Buffaloes star fanned two more in the second with splitters.
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani did not feature for the Dodgers but watched on from the bench, with Yamamoto revealing the words he received after the game on his outing.
"He said it was decent. I wasn't expecting him to come over to watch me, so that made me really happy," Yamamoto said.
