The Los Angeles Dodgers demonstrated the issue between huge markets and the rest of the major league world in mid-December, spending $700 million to sign superstar Shohei Ohtani and then $325 million to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a starting pitcher who had dominated recent Japanese baseball. This was more than $1 billion dollars for a team that was swept 3-0 in a National League Division Series .
Shohei Ohtani had two doubles and a home run his third in five games to tie his career high with three extra-base hits and power the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Monday night. James Outman hit the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning and Freddie Freeman and Will Smith drove in runs and Evan Phillips picked up his fourth save to fuel another smooth victory for Dodgers newcomer James Paxton (2-0), who flashed a wide smile when asked afterward about Ohtani's impact.
The Royals salvaged a victory in the three-game season-opening series with their third straight quality start and an offensive onslaught that wouldn’t stop.