GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani needed just three exhibition at-bats to show what a $700 million man can do for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Japanese star hit a two-run homer in his first game wearing Dodger blue on Tuesday, working a full count in the fifth inning before an opposite-field shot off Dominic Leone that just cleared the left-field wall.
Ohtani was hitless in his first two plate appearances, striking out on four pitches in the first inning and hitting a hard grounder into a double play in the third.
Ohtani received a standing ovation before his first at-bat at Camelback Ranch, where dozens of fans wore Ohtani’s No. 17 jersey and cheered his every move. The Dodgers — already one of MLB’s premier franchises — have become even more popular after spending more than $1 billion to sign Ohtani and fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Yamamoto is expected to make his spring training debut on Wednesday.
DODGERS-TWINS: The Los Angeles Dodgers will pay Minnesota $6 million to $8 million as part of the trade that moved Manuel Margot to the Twins.
The cash reduces the cost of the outfielder to the Twins to $4 million.
Minnesota acquired Margot and minor league shortstop Rayne Doncon on Monday for minor league shortstop Noah Miller.
Margot has a $10 million salary this season as part of a $19 million, two-year contract he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, a deal that includes a $12 million mutual option for 2025 with a $2 million buyout. As part of the December trade that sent Margot and pitcher Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers, Tampa Bay agreed to pay the Dodgers $2 million on Aug. 2 and an additional $2 million on Dec. 1, 2026, if Margot’s option is not exercised.
As part of Monday’s trade, the Dodgers agreed to pay the Twins $1 million on the 15th of each month from April through September this year. If Margot’s option is not exercised, Los Angeles would pay Minnesota $1 million each on Dec. 15, 2024, and Nov. 15, 2026.
At the time Monday’s trade was announced, Los Angeles finalized a $4 million, one-year contract to keep Kiké Hernández. That made the trade and the free agent addition payroll neutral.
BRAVES: Left-hander Chris Sale pitched in his first spring game with his new team.
Sale struck out four in two perfect innings against Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Florida. He threw 16 of his 25 pitches for strikes.
Sale, 34, was acquired in a December trade with Boston. He then agreed to a $38 million, two-year contract with Atlanta.
BLUE JAYS: Reliever Erik Swanson has left the team to be with his family after his son, Toby, was hit by a car Sunday.
Manager John Schneider said Toby was airlifted to a hospital, and he is “on the road to recovery.” Schneider also praised the first responders in Clearwater for their “incredible work.”
“Erik will be away from the team for a while, family comes first,” Schneider said. “Our love, support, and prayers are with … the entire Swanson family.”
Swanson is going into his second season with Toronto and his sixth year in the majors overall. The 6-foot-3 right-hander is 8-14 with 10 saves and a 3.78 ERA in 195 games.
• It was a mixed bag for right-hander Alek Manoah in his first start of spring training.
Manoah hit three batters and threw just 17 of 38 pitches for strikes while working 1 2/3 innings of four-run ball during a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers. But he also showed improved velocity, reaching the mid-90s with his fastball.
Manoah was a breakout star for Toronto in 2022, going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 starts. He made the AL All-Star team and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting.
But he struggled last year, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts. He was optioned to the minors twice.
CUBS: The Chicago Cubs cleared a spot on their 40-man roster for Cody Bellinger when they traded left-hander Bailey Horn to the White Sox.
Bellinger agreed to an $80 million, three-year contract with Chicago last weekend, according to a person familiar with the deal who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
Bellinger, who turns 29 in July, hit a career-best .307 with 26 homers, 97 RBI and 20 steals in 130 games with the Cubs last season.
The Cubs sent Horn to the White Sox for minor league right-hander Matt Thompson.
The 26-year-old Horn, a fifth-round pick by the White Sox in the 2020 amateur draft, went 7-3 with a 4.21 ERA in 45 appearances over two minor league stops last year. He finished the season with Triple-A Iowa.
To make room for Horn on their 40-man roster, the White Sox placed right-hander Jesse Scholtens on the 60-day injured list with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Thompson, a second-round selection in the 2019 amateur draft, played for Double-A Birmingham last year. The Houston native went 6-15 with a 4.85 ERA in 27 starts.
CARDINALS: Brandon Crawford and St. Louis finalized a $2 million, one-year contract, giving the Cardinals an experienced backup for young shortstop Masyn Winn.
The 37-year-old Crawford spent his first 13 seasons with San Francisco. He won four Gold Gloves and two World Series championships with the Giants.
Winn, who turns 22 next month, made his big league debut last year. He hit .172 (21 for 122) with two homers and 12 RBI in 37 games with St. Louis.
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