Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

Umpire camera shows how impossible it is to hit Yu Darvish’s 95 MPH fastball with movement

Ump Cam is back!

The 2024 MLB season is officially back, and so is Ump Cam.

One of my favorite innovations has shown us the umpire POV of monster home runs, pitches that dart and fool hitters, and how scary an up and in fastball is.

And on Wednesday, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres playing in South Korea on ESPN, we got the Ump Cam view of a 95 MPH two-seam fastball that was a called strike. You can see it move in the middle of heading to the plate, and in slow motion, it’s even more pronounced.

Gotta love Ump Cam!

Shohei Ohtani’s wife Mamiko Tanaka had a delightful reaction to his first Dodgers hit

Shohei Ohtani’s wife was there for his first Dodgers hit.

One of the bigger stories of the MLB offseason was all about Shohei Ohtani.

No, it wasn’t his move from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers (OK, fine, that one was pretty big, too). It was his surprise reveal that he had gotten married, and then we all learned that he had married Japanese basketball player Mamiko Tanaka.

In his first game as a Dodger in South Korea, Ohtani got his first hit with his new club, and Tanaka was there to watch along with his family. Her reaction was captured by ESPN cameras, and it was a delight:

Love it!

Shohei Ohtani hit a foul ball 119 MPH through the roof (!) in South Korea

WOW.

Shohei Ohtani continues to be the most impressive athlete.

He’s a Los Angeles Dodger now, and the slugger proved in his first regular-season game just how amazing he is — he got a hit in the game, and then he did something pretty wild.

With his new wife watching in person as the Dodgers and San Diego Padres opened the 2024 season in South Korea, he hit a foul ball a whopping 119.2 MPH. Again, it was foul … but it apparently ripped through the roof of the Gocheok Sky Dome.

WOW. Now that is some serious power. Check out the video and be wowed, too:

Every Major League Baseball team’s best promotional giveaway in 2024

What is the best giveaway your favorite MLB team is doing in 2024?

Andre Lipcius traded ahead of 2024 MLB season

Former Vol Andre Lipcius traded ahead of the 2024 MLB season.

Former Vol Andre Lipcius was traded from Detroit to the Dodgers on Monday.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired infielder Andre Lipcius from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations,” Los Angeles announced. “In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred left-hand pitcher Clayton Kershaw to the 60-day injured list.”

Lipcius played for the Vols from 2017-2019 and was an All-American. He was selected by Detroit in the third-round (No. 81 overall) of the 2019 MLB draft.

Lipcius appeared in 169 games, including 168 starts, at Tennessee. He recorded a .300 batting average, 25 home runs, 126 RBIs, 122 runs, 190 hits, 37 doubles, two triples, 90 walks and 21 stolen bases for the Vols.

The former Vol made his Major League Baseball debut with Detroit on Sept. 1, 2023.

Saul Young/USA TODAY Network

Shohei Ohtani looked super impressive in first batting practice with the Dodgers after shoulder surgery

Shohei Ohtani looks ready to play some baseball

Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers this year.

The two-way phenomenon had successful shoulder surgery back in September after tearing his UCL trying to make a final playoff push for the Angels last season.

RELATED: Ohtani’s deferred money contract should upset you to no end

He might not be pitching, but that bat sure looks like it still works well in his hand.

We got a quick look at Ohtani’s first batting practice session with the Dodgers and the ball is absolutely flying off that bat, folks. This dude is firing rockets. It’s pretty incredible —especially considering that he just had elbow surgery.

Here’s a look:

First of all, doesn’t it feel great to just hear baseball again? I mean, the sound of that bat. Or how about the ball hitting the backstop? It’s just so lovely, man. Spring is almost here.

On top of that, Ohtani is out here hitting moonballs. I don’t care if it’s just a practice session. I don’t care if this doesn’t count or mean much of anything. It’s still just so cool.

Fans were so glad to see this.

Mookie Betts says playing the Dodgers will be every other MLB team’s World Series this season

Do you think the Dodgers are the team to beat in the MLB this season?

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts made a bold proclamation about how teams are going to approach playing L.A. this season.

At Saturday’s DodgerFest, Betts remarked in an interview that, when other teams play the Dodgers this season, it’ll be their version of playing in the World Series. It’s something he adds Los Angeles “signed up” to face this spring.

While Betts is alluding to the understandable fact that other teams are going to give this Dodgers superteam their best during every outing this year, it also highlights how Los Angeles views itself: as the clear team to beat this season.

Other teams might not like how Betts phrased this, as they probably want the actual World Series to be their World Series, not a regular season series with the Dodgers.

Sure, the Dodgers adding the best player in baseball with Shohei Ohtani certainly helped make Los Angeles the de-facto World Series favorite this upcoming season.

However, there are a lot of really good MLB teams waiting to prove Betts and the Dodgers wrong that they’re the biggest obstacle standing in the way of a World Series victory in 2024.

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The Cubs-Dodgers trade for Yency Almonte had everyone making the same Ferris Bueller joke

Skipping school for a Dodgers game has never seemed more appealing.

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers swung a relatively minor deal on Thursday, sending pitcher Yency Almonte and third baseman Michael Busch to the Windy City for a package of prospects including starting pitcher Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope.

As far as the Dodgers go, it’s not really a big deal. This team is absolutely loaded with talent and can afford to ship away some pieces for high-end prospects. ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news of the trade and noted that the two teenagers are “toolsy”, which typically excites scouts and player development staffs.

But it’s not the potential of either young ballplayer or the package it cost Los Angeles to acquire them that has Dodgers fans all excited.

It’s the idea of pairing future starter Ferris with current starter Walker Buehler in the same rotation.

You can already hear the gears turning in the Dodger Stadium marketing offices as they try to plan a “Ditch School Day” for any future doubleheader with Ferris and Buehler on the mound.

Fans couldn’t start daydreaming soon enough.

1 Golden Globes photo of Mookie Betts reacting to Jo Koy’s monologue has MLB fans laughing

Mookie Betts looks completely MYSTIFIED that someone’s jokes could be THAT bad.

The Golden Globes might be over, but photos from the night are the gift that keeps on giving because Mookie Betts is the second Dodgers player to be spotted discreetly attending the star-studded event.

The Golden Globes are producing new Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez memes, celebrity-on-celebrity fangirl moments and even lip-reading analysis. Still, the most underrated gift from the whole event has been spotting Dodgers players just casually hanging out.

First, it was Freddie Freeman photobombing Taylor Swift. Now, some serious investigators have found his teammate Mookie Betts reacting to Jo Koy’s horrific opening monologue, and it’s absolutely glorious.

Right on cue, MLB fans came with the jokes, and they did not disappoint.

Feature image via CBS.

Shohei Ohtani gifted Joe Kelly’s wife a new Porsche in exchange for a No. 17 jersey swap

Shohei Ohtani is clearly in the holiday spirit.

Shohei Ohtani has worn No. 17 throughout his career so far. It’s his number. He’s synonymous with it.

But he’s with the Dodgers now and that number is taken. Or, at least, it was. Joe Kelly wore No. 17 with the Dodgers in each of his stints with the team throughout his career.

That led to there being a bit of intrigue in the Dodgers’ pursuit of Ohtani this offseason. Would that mean Kelly had to give up his number? If so, would that be a problem?

From the beginning, though, it was clear that it wouldn’t be. It’s all thanks to Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley.

She quelled all of that with her #OhTake17 campaign on social media where she made an effort to convince Ohtani to come to LA. She also offered up her husband’s number and even joked that the couple would change their son’s name from Kai to ShoKai and was ready to give away her family’s No. 17 gear.

In exchange for all that love, plus the actual No. 17, Ohtani bought Ashley a new Porsche. Yes, seriously.

It’s well-earned. We all know he’s got the money for it, too. Shoutout to Ohtani for this one. What a teammate.