Shohei Ohtani will make his Dodgers debut against the Padres in MLB's first regular season game in Korea. (Photo by Jean Wang/Getty Images)
Opening Day is eight days away, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres kicked things off Wednesday with MLB's first regular season game in South Korea.
At the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Shohei Ohtani will make his long-awaited regular season debut in Dodger blue, while Tyler Glasnow will also make his Dodgers debut when he takes the mound against the Padres' Yu Darvish.
Both the Padres and Dodgers have been in Seoul for several days. They were able to get over any jet lag they experienced along the way, and they also managed to get some playtime at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Both teams play in the Korean National Baseball Association and two teams in the KBO, Korea's equivalent of MLB.
But they were just exhibition games. This is the real thing. Both teams will play a few more spring training games before the 2024 season begins, but the regular season is finally here.
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Ohtani has done almost everything in his Dodgers debut: first hit, first RBI, and now his first whoopsie-doodle. He forgot to tag second base on his way back to first, and was doubled off to end the eighth inning. At least he got it out early, right?
Ohtani seals the game with his first RBI as a Dodger!
The Dodgers take the lead! Kevin Lux cuts one to Jake Cronenworth in the infield, and he technically catches it, but the ball actually rips through the web of his glove and into the shallow outfield. Dodgers lead 4-2.
Kike Hernandez, back for the Dodgers, hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2. Padres manager Mike Schildt will have to dig into his bullpen again with runners on first and second and only one out.
Things finally got interesting here as the Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs against the former Yankees pitcher making his Padres debut against Johnny Brito.
Ohtani's first Dodger hit can be looked at in a different light as both offenses were a bit quiet.
The game isn't out of hand, but the Dodgers could certainly use a little offense right now
The Dodgers are 0 for 7 with RISP and 0 for 11 with runners on base so far.
A double play helps the Dodgers, but still forces them to give up the lead to the Padres.
Now it's Glaznow's turn. He loaded the bases, but with zero outs, now the Padres have a chance to throw it wide.
Even tennis legend Billie Jean King is in Seoul to see Ohtani!
The Dodgers scored their first run of 2024 on a Jason Heyward sacrifice fly, which led Padres manager Mike Schildt to pull Darvish that long way out on the mound.
The Padres scored the first run of the game, but it looked like Darvish was in his last few at-bats as his control continued to suffer.
Ohtani started with a hit as Darvish continued to have location issues, leading the Dodgers to load the bases in the third. But Muncie swings at strike three and the Padres are out of danger — for now, at least…