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BRADENTON, Fla. - The Pittsburgh Pirates got solo home runs from Bryan Reynolds and Jared Triolo Thursday night in a 3-2 loss to Toronto in Grapefruit League action.
The Pirates (11-15-1) got a strong outing from their bullpen after watching starter Bailey Falter give up three runs in the first inning. David Bednar worked a scoreless fifth inning on 15 pitches, nine of which he threw for strikes. Ryan Borucki had a 1-2-3 sixth inning on 12 pitches. Jose Hernandez, who has given up just one run this spring, had a scoreless seventh inning. Roansy Contreras also tossed a scoreless frame.
Pittsburgh will start Jared Jones tonight in a game against Baltimore. First pitch is 6:05 p.m.
Ohtani saga continues
SEOUL, South Korea -- Shohei Ohtani is referred to in Japan as "kanpeki no hito" -- the perfect person -- because of his manners and impeccable behavior.
That image may have taken a hit when the Dodgers fired his good friend and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara on Wednesday over allegations he gambled illegally and stole Ohtani's money to pay off debts.
The law firm representing Ohtani called it a "massive theft" in a statement.
The Seoul Series -- the first MLB games in South Korea -- were supposed to be a showcase for Ohtani before a fertile baseball audience in Asia. The games between San Diego and Los Angeles were scheduled before he signed a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers in December. For MLB, the stars seemed perfectly aligned and there is already talk of a similar series next year in Tokyo.
A bomb threat Wednesday briefly put a cloud over the series. Police were warned before the first game of a bomb at the stadium but found no explosives. Ohtani was reportedly the target.
Then came the other Ohtani bombshell.
"I was shocked when I read it," said Jorge Kuri, a hardcore Dodgers fan from Tijuana, Mexico, who runs a garment business there.
Wearing a blue Dodgers sweatshirt and cap at the Gocheok Sky Dome, Kuri said he was trying to sift through the information that's out there. He said he'd just returned from vacation in Japan "where Ohtani is king."
"I don't know what the end is going to be with this because I think it's just the tip of the iceberg," he added. "Right now he's the image of Major League Baseball."
Mizuhara, 39, was let go from the team following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker. He was in the dugout and with the team through Wednesday's game -- the shocking reports dropped Wednesday evening in the U.S., while most fans in Asia were asleep.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Mizuhara had a meeting with the team Wednesday but declined to elaborate. He said he did not know Mizuhara's whereabouts and said a different interpreter would be used.
"Anything with that meeting, I can't comment," Roberts said, adding that "Shohei's ready. I know that he's preparing."
New guy roughed up
SEOUL, South Korea -- Yoshinobu Yamamoto lasted just one inning in his Los Angeles Dodgers' debut after signing a record $325 million, 12-year contract, giving up five runs to the San Diego Padres.
The 25-year-old right-hander trailed 2-0 after nine pitches and needed 43 pitches to get three outs, leaving with a 45.00 ERA. San Diego batted around, and Michael Grove relieved Yamamoto with the Dodgers trailing 5-1.
San Diego won, 15-11.
Elsewhere:
n J.D. Martinez agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract with the New York Mets on Thursday. A person familiar with the deal confirmed the move to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical. Martinez hit .271 with 33 homers and 103 RBIs in just 113 games last season for the Los Angeles Dodgers.