Texas Rangers Spring Training Notebook: Reaction To Yoshinobu Yamamoto Debut, Mourning Longtime Coach

Texas Rangers batters came away very impressed after getting the first look at Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers were the first team to see the arm of Yoshinobu Yamamoto this spring.

The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander made his Cactus League debut on Wednesday, striking out three in two scoreless innings at Surprise Stadium.

"He has good stuff. I mean, that's obvious," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's why they signed him to that deal he got."

That deal — 12 years for $325 million — has helped create a hype machine for the former NPB League in Japan. He threw 16 strikes and three balls while allowing one single to Evan Carter against the Rangers. He featured a moving upper 90s fastball and a devastating split-fingered fastball.

"He throws really, really hard. He's quick to the plate, and he's got a lot of vertical on his fastball," said Carter, who lined a single to center for the only hit against the 25-year-old. "So I just wanted to be on time — a little bit early even — and think about just hitting a line drive up the middle. And it worked out; it was a good plan."

Bochy said Yamamoto's ability to throw strikes with the combination of a riding fastball and a diving splitter will be a challenge for batters.

"He's gonna be a tough challenge for any team that he faces," he said. "He's got that split to go with that velocity and that good breaking ball; he throws strikes."

Besides Yamamoto's electric stuff, Bochy said his delivery will throw off some hitters, too.

#Rangers Evan Carter gives a full report on facing #Dodgers #YoshimobuYamamoto.#Yamamoto pic.twitter.com/OrN5qbCux4

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) February 28, 2024

"He's got a little different look. He comes set and kind of quick pitches you a little bit. He's got a quick arm, and that fastball gets on you," he said. "It's obvious they've signed a really, really nice pitcher."

Carter's plan against Yamamoto was simple: Don't be late.

"Definitely, against somebody like him, you don't want to just go up there and be guessing and hoping things go good," Carter said. "I didn't see it, but his splitter is probably his best pitch, just looking from the side. The fastball he threw me could have turned into a splitter really quick. Thankfully, it didn't see it. The cutter-slider combo down and in is going to play really well."

RIP Hector Ortiz

The Rangers organization paid respect to longtime Major and Minor League coach Hector Ortiz, who died Wednesday morning after battling cancel for several years. He was 54.

"The organization sends its thoughts and prayers to his family and friends," the Rangers said in a release and on social media.

We mourn the passing of longtime Major and Minor League coach, Hector Ortiz, who died this morning at age 54 after a long cancer battle. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time. pic.twitter.com/rE5OuDEZaD

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) February 28, 2024

Quotables

"You don't have to throw a billion, only throw half a billion. And I threw straight stikes, so it worked." — Rangers reliever Josh Sborz on what catcher Jonah Heim said to him during a mound visit in his spring debut on Wednesday

"You go back to Mike Scott [in the mid-1980s]. He made it very popular. But even before that, there were pitchers using it, but it's more prevalent now in the game. It's such a difficult pitch to read. It's coming out like a fastball and dipping at the end. With the arm speed, you can throw it just like a fastball, so it's just such a tough pitch to read."  — Rangers manager Bruce Bochy on the split-fingered fastball

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