IN BRIEF

Dodgers rally to beat Padres in first MLB game in South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea – Shohei Ohtani’s RBI single capped a four-run eighthinning rally in his Dodgers debut, and Los Angeles beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 in Wednesday night’s major league opener, the sport’s first game in South Korea.

The game turned when a routine grounder went through the webbing of the glove of first baseman Jake Cronenworth as the go-ahead run scored.

Ohtani went 2 for 5 in his first game since leaving the Los Angeles Angels for a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers. A crowd of 15,952 was on hand to watch at the Gocheok Sky Dome.

The two-way star, limited to batting following elbow surgery, also had a mental error that caused the final out of the eighth. He was called out when he passed second base and then failed to retouch the bag while retreating on Freddie Freeman’s flyout, causing an inning-ending double play.

A bomb threat did not seem to affect pregame preparations. Police found no explosives and said they acted on a tip that the threat was against Ohtani.

2-time Cy Young Award winner Snell finalizes $62M, 2-year contract with Giants

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The San Francisco Giants and left-hander Blake Snell have finalized their $62 million, twoyear contract ahead of the two-time Cy Young Award winner being introduced at a news conference on Wednesday.

Snell gets a $17 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, 2026, and a $15 million salary this year. He would get $30 million if he keeps the contract for 2025, of which $15 million would be deferred and payable on July 1, 2027.

The 30-year-old Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa Bay and last year with San Diego.

Snell completed the deal Tuesday, nine days before the opener at the Padres, setting up the possibility of Snell making his Giants debut against his former club. He joins a rotation that includes right-handers Logan Webb and Jordan Hicks and left-hander Kyle Harrison.

Right-hander Alex Cobb is working his way back from left hip surgery on Oct. 31.

Retired Belarusian hockey player Koltsov dies in Florida at 42

MIAMI – Former Belarusian hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, who was coaching in the KHL, has died in Florida, police said Tuesday. He was 42.

Miami-Dade Police detective Argemis Colome confirmed Koltsov’s death in a statement sent to The Associated Press. Police said the death was an apparent suicide and no foul play was suspected.

Koltsov served as an assistant coach for Salavat Yulaev Ufa the past two seasons. He also was an assistant on staff for the Belarusian men’s national team.

National team coach Dmitry Baskov called Koltsov’s death “an irreparable loss.”

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