Ohtani helps Dodgers win season opener in Seoul
The Los Angeles Dodgers started their Shohei Ohtani era with a memorable win on a day of firsts in Seoul, South Korea, as the 2024 MLB season began.
Ohtani’s RBI single capped a four-run eighth-inning for the Dodgers en route to a 5-2 win against the San Diego Padres in front of 15,952 at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Ohtani went 2 for 5 in his first game with the Dodgers since signing a record $700 million, 10year contract.
Not only was Ohtani’s debut significant, but so was the Dodgers’ lineup as a whole. Mookie Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman became the first MVPs to hit 1-2-3 in a batting order since Philadelphia’s Joe Morgan, Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt did so in 10 games in 1983.
More baseball
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter and close friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired from the Los Angeles Dodgers following allegations of illegal gambling and theft from the Japanese baseball star. He was let go following reports from The Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker.
Pro football
Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall took a predraft visit to the Steelers earlier this week, per sources. Pearsall played his first three college seasons at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for his final two seasons. He had his most productive seasons with Florida, including a 65-catch, 965-yard season as a senior in 2023. A 6-foot-1, 189-pound slot receiver, Pearsall ran a 4.41 in the 40yard dash at the combine earlier this month and had a 42inch vertical leap.
• Detroit Lions defensive back Cameron Sutton — a onetime Steeler — is wanted on a domestic violence warrant in Florida. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, which includes Tampa, said on X that the warrant is for domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The department responded to a call about domestic violence in progress involving Sutton, 29, and a female around 5 a.m. March 7.
Olympics
The United States women’s soccer team, which hasn’t won gold since 2012, will be part of a group with Germany and Australia at the Paris Olympics. A fourth team is still to be determined. The U.S. men’s team — in the field for the first time since 2008 — is in a group with France, New Zealand and a team to be determined.
Figure skating
Canadian pair Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps put forth an electrifying performance to place first in the short program at the world figure championships in Montreal. StellatoDudek and Deschamps shattered their season best with a 77.48 score while skating to Cirque du Soleil’s “Oxygène.”
Hockey
Natalie Spooner broke a third-period tie with her PWHL-best 13th goal to help league-leading Toronto extend its winning streak to 11 in a row with a 2-1 win against Boston. Renata Fast had tied it for Toronto on a power play at 2:14 of the third.
Auto racing
The ethics committee for Formula One’s governing body cleared Mohammed Ben Sulayem in two whistleblower complaints that alleged the FIA president twice interfered in competition last year. The first alleged he intervened to overturn a penalty given to Fernando Alonso at last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The second report also claimed Ben Sulayem told officials not to certify the Las Vegas circuit for its high-profile race last November.