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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Japanese pitching star Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to make his Dodger spring training debut Wednesday, pitching two innings against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers in Surprise, Arizona.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said last week the team hopes to have Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow start the two regular-season games in South Korea against the San Diego Padres on March 20-21.
The Dodgers signed the 25-year-old right-hander to a 12-year, $325 million contract Dec. 27, the largest deal for a pitcher in terms of years and value in Major League Baseball history. They also paid a $50.6 million posting fee to Yamamoto's previous team, the Orix Buffaloes, ESPN reported.
Yamamoto was the MVP of Japan's Pacific League and winner of the league's Eiji Sawamura Award as its best starting pitcher each of the past three seasons.
The game from Surprise Stadium is set to begin at 12:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time and will be televised by SportsNet LA.