Spring Training Roundup: Shohei Ohtani Homers in Dodgers Debut

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two run home run during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Phoenix on Feb. 27, 2024. Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media

Shohei Ohtani belted an opposite-field home run in the fifth inning of his first spring training game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who went on to a 9–6 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in Phoenix.

Ohtani took Dominic Leone to left with a high-arching shot in his third at-bat of his Dodgers debut, cutting the deficit at the time to 4–3. Ohtani, signed in the offseason on a record $700 million deal, also struck out in the first and scored a runner on a double-play grounder in the third.

Drew Avans brought in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth preceding Chris Okey’s three-run blast off Garrett Schoenle (0–1). Okey finished with four RBIs.

Juan Morillo (1–0) pitched one-third of an inning after Bobby Miller got the start and allowed one run on two hits in two frames.

Paul DeJong had a three-run homer and Colson Montgomery drove in two runs for the White Sox.

Pirates 13, Braves 4

Ke'Bryan Hayes’ game-tying grand slam to center field launched a 13-run uprising for host Pittsburgh to topple Atlanta in Bradenton, Fla.

After Hayes’ long ball in the third inning, Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run shot to center two innings later off Ben Bowden (0–1) to put the Pirates up for good. Abrahan Gutierrez and Jackson Glenn capped a seven-run sixth inning with back-to-back homers.

Jose Hernandez (1–0) pitched a scoreless fifth after the Braves had four RBI singles over the first three innings, with Sean Murphy responsible for two.

Red Sox 3, Cardinals 3

Jeremy Rivas walked to drive in the tying run in the bottom of the ninth for host St. Louis to draw with Boston in Jupiter, Fla.

Noah Song blew the save in the ninth for the Red Sox by issuing three walks with one hit. Starter Kutter Crawford scattered three hits and a run over two innings, while Nick Sogard brought in all three runs with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.

Cardinals starter Sonny Gray struck out two, allowed two walks, and yielded two hits over two scoreless innings. Willson Contreras had an RBI double and Luken Baker hit an RBI single.

Orioles 5, Tigers 2

James McCann and Coby Mayo drove in three runs on back-to-back doubles in the go-ahead fifth inning for host Baltimore to down Detroit in Sarasota, Fla.

The uprising began when Daniel Johnson scored on an error to tie the game. He finished3-for-3 with a triple, a double, and two runs. Nick Vespi (1–0) gave up a run on two hits in the fifth inning.

Zach McKinstry had a solo shot in the first inning and Keston Hiura had an RBI triple in the fifth for the Tigers. Devin Sweet (0–1) gave up four unearned runs on four hits and a walk.

Tigers 6, Blue Jays 4

Ryan Vilade hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as Detroit’s split squad outlasted visiting Toronto in Lakeland, Fla.

Mark Canha and Spencer Torkelson scored on an error in the first inning before Torkelson hit a two-RBI double in the second inning for the Tigers. Drew Anderson (1–0) struck out two during two scoreless innings of relief.

Orelvis Martinez smacked a two-run double early for Toronto before Alan Roden’s two-run homer in the fourth inning knotted the game 4–4. Brandon Eisert (0–1) walked the bases loaded to set up Vilade’s go-ahead hit off Juan Nunez.

Rays 4, Yankees 2

Nick Meyer hit a go-ahead solo home run in the sixth inning as host Tampa Bay beat New York in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Jonny Deluca and Rene Pinto had RBI singles for the Rays earlier in the game before the Yankees responded each time. Jose Rojas sent a homer to center in the fifth and Anthony Volpe hit an RBI triple in the sixth to make it 2–2.

Rays reliever Michael Gomez (1–0) got the win despite allowing Volpe’s triple. New York’s Nick Ramirez (0–1) watched Meyer go yard.

Phillies 3, Twins 3

Willie Joe Garry Jr. hit a two-run single during a three-run ninth for host Minnesota to tie Philadelphia in Fort Myers, Fla.

Anthony Prato was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Garry’s timely hit off Brett Schulze. Garry and Jose Salas finished 2-for-2.

Trea Turner hit an RBI double before David Dahl’s two-run home run in the seventh put the Phillies up by three.

Nationals 10, Astros 3

Dylan Crews hit a two-run double and Robert Hassell III bashed a two-run homer during a seven-run third inning as Washington raced past host Houston in Palm Beach, Fla.

After Astros starter Jose Urquidy pitched two scoreless frames, the Nationals jumped all over Dylan Coleman (0–1) for five runs on a hit and three walks in one-third of an inning. In his first appearance in a Washington uniform, starter Zach Davies (1–0) struck out three batters and walked two with zero hits over two innings.

Pedro Leon had a two-run homer for the Astros.

Mets 7, Marlins 1

Ji Man Choi homered and Drew Gilbert added a two-run single as host New York took care of Miami in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Mets starter Adrian Houser pitched two innings of scoreless ball, while reliever Yacksel Rios (1–0) was credited with the win after a scoreless fifth.

Tristan Gray got the Marlins on the board first with a home run before reliever Josh Simpson (0–1) allowed Alex Ramirez’s RBI double to right that made it 2–1 in the fifth.

Reds 6, Cubs 6

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a game-tying RBI double in the bottom of the ninth as host Chicago came back from a 6–0 deficit to draw with Cincinnati in Mesa, Ariz.

Crow-Armstrong finished with two hits and James Triantos had a two-RBI single for the Cubs. Starter Kyle Hendricks went two innings and gave up one run on one hit and one walk with one strikeout.

Will Benson and Conner Capel each hit an RBI double for the Reds before reliever Carson Rudd gave up four of the Cubs’ six runs without recording an out in the eighth. Cincinnati starter Frankie Montas threw two perfect innings with two strikeouts.

Royals 4, Rockies 3

Nate Eaton and CJ Alexander each went yard for host Kansas City, which held on to beat Colorado in Surprise, Ariz.

Tyler Cropley went 2-for-3 from the nine-hole and drove in what turned out to be the game-winning run in the sixth inning, his single making it 4–2 before the Rockies had a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Royals reliever Matt Sauer (1–0) scattered three hits and a walk over two scoreless innings.

Michael Toglia had an RBI single early on for the Rockies. Reliever Victor Vodnik (0–1) yielded two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings.

Padres 6, Royals 3

Oscar Mercado hit a solo shot and a two-run home run as host San Diego beat Kansas City’s split squad in Peoria, Ariz.

Mercado went deep off Mason Barnett (0–2) in the sixth inning and Anderson Paulino in the seventh as the Padres rallied from down 2–0. Mason McCoy added a two-run triple while Tom Cosgrove (1–0) worked around a walk in the seventh for the win.

Rodolfo Duran homered in the ninth for the Royals after Devin Mann had an RBI single and Luca Tresh added a run-scoring double early on.

Athletics 11, Guardians 2

Yohel Pozo knocked a two-run homer and Nick Allen added a three-run triple during a six-run fifth inning as Oakland routed host Cleveland in Goodyear, Ariz.

Brent Rooker and Max Schuemann went on to add two-run shots for the Athletics. Reliever Michael Kelly (1–0) allowed a game-tying run (unearned) in the fourth before Oakland’s uprising.

Jose Ramirez had an RBI single and Chase DeLauter homered late in the game for the Guardians. Jaime Barria (0–1) gave up four runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.

Mariners 10, Giants 10

Patrick Bailey hit a grand slam for San Francisco in the first inning of a back-and-forth, offense-happy tie with visiting Seattle in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bailey’s shot made it 5–2 after Mitch Garver homered in the top of the first for the Mariners. Dominic Canzone and Michael Chavis then went yard for Seattle, which settled for the draw after holding a trio of three-run leads down the stretch. The Giants’ Grant McCray scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the ninth to provide the game-tying run.

Mariners shortstop Ryan Bliss went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs from the nine-hole as Seattle outhit San Francisco 15–9.

Angels 6, Brewers 4

Zach Neto provided three RBIs and a run as host Los Angeles outlasted Milwaukee in Tempe, Ariz.

Neto hit a two-run double in the second before scoring on a fielding error, then followed that with an RBI triple for the Angels. Starter Zach Plesac (1–0) allowed two runs and three hits over two innings in his Angels debut.

Oliver Dunn and Jeferson Quero hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the fifth inning to bring the Brewers within 5–4, but Milwaukee would not get closer. Reliever Hoby Milner (0–1) gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits in the second inning.

Rangers 10, Diamondbacks 3

Marcus Semien homered on the first pitch of the game and Andrew Knizner racked up five RBIs as visiting Texas beat Arizona in a World Series rematch in Scottsdale.

Knizner bashed a three-run homer in the second inning and a two-run single in the sixth that capped the scoring as Texas amassed 15 hits. Rangers starter Dane Dunning (1–0) allowed two runs on two hits and a walk over two frames, striking out two.

Jose Herrera had an RBI single while Ketel Marte and Eugenio Suarez each finished with two hits for the Diamondbacks. Eduardo Rodriguez (0–1) was dinged for four runs on Semien’s and Knizner’s homers over one-plus inning.