You must spend big to win big. Well, the Los Angeles Dodgers have taken care of half of that statement. With two of the biggest and most famous international names in their squad, all eyes are on the Blue Crew. The two mega acquisitions did not only bring in a high chance of winning in 2024 but also a massive fanbase, from Japan, “I’ll be honest with you”. 

The Dodgers may appear to be on the pedestal now, more so in Japan, but in no way has the competition gone down. Particularly in their division. The San Diego Padres, one of their rivals from the National League West, has made it clear that they would “step it up and stand up and beat those guys”.

Fans From Japan All Drooling Over the LA Dodgers

As per the Dodgers Nation’s official X account, a tweet quoting a fellow Japanese pitcher has caused intrigue. The new Padres reliever Yuki Matsui said about Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s current team, “I’ll be honest with you: In Japan it seems like it’s Dodgers — all Dodgers now… But we’re in the same division and obviously, they’ve been winning the division for an extended period of time now, so we really need to step it up and stand up and beat those guys. Hopefully I can be a part of this team to help do that.” But what made him say that? 

The Padres’ postseason win in 2022 over the Dodgers was a sweet taste of victory fulfilling a long-standing dream of theirs. But now, a new reality of power dynamics bites them, having witnessed LA’s spending spree this off season. With that has the Friars drive for winning the Commissioners’ Trophy shot up? Or is the seemingly unstoppable Blue Crew’s financial muscle too strong to conquer? 

Irrespective of how the spring of 2024 starts, Matsui is on a mission. He is resolute to change the narrative among the Japanese that LA is the super power, particularly with two of their native baseball gems, Ohtani and Yamamoto. It’s easier said than done though. But since the Padres have defeated them before, they sure have the ability to do it again. 

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Where Does Yuki Matsui’s Drive Come From?

San Diego’s bullpen, at present is going through a period of transformation. And Matsui is a monumental part of the club’s strategies. Especially in the ninth innings. Moreover, Matsui is aware of the efforts he’d have to put to earn his spot on the mound. This comes from a place of disappointment he felt with his performance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic having felt that he could have done better. With that, he hopes that perhaps his folks back home in Japan speak of the Padres too, apart from just the Dodgers. 

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Considering the pricey contract worth $28 million between his club and Matsui, he is all set to shine in San Diego. In the recent past the Padres had lost some important pitchers and subsequently are rebuilding their bullpen. Given their current situation, the 28-year-old’s presence with the Friars is a great step.