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Friday 29 december 2023

Yoshinobu Yamamoto joins the Los Angeles Dodgers, vows to

compete for championships alongside Ohtani

pavilion. "From today moving forward, Ohtani to a $700 million con-
The consensus best pitch- I promise to all the fans of LA tract and inking right-hander
er outside North America that I will focus my everything Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 mil-
reached one of his goals to become a better player, lion, five-year deal after his
Wednesday, joining the and to become a world acquisition from Tampa Bay.
Dodgers on a 12-year con- champion as a member of "This has been a monumental
tract that's reportedly the the Dodgers," Yamamoto offseason for all of us," man-
largest and longest ever said through his interpreter. ager Dave Roberts said. "It's
guaranteed to a major "I will stop simply admiring the a privilege to be here, but I
league pitcher. players that I have looked don't think the expectations
But the 25-year-old ace of up to, but rather strive to be- have changed. The roster has
Japan's top league won't come the player that others been bolstered with some
be satisfied without many want to become." good young players, but our
chances to experience the Yamamoto has been Japan's goal is always to compete
Los Angeles playoff atmo- most dominant pitcher over for championships."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto wears his jersey during his introduction sphere he absorbed as a the past few seasons, and he The Dodgers have big ex-
as a new member of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team teenager watching Kenta was coveted by teams across pectations for Yamamoto,
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023, in Los Angeles. Maeda on the mound at the majors after he elected a 5-foot-10 right-hander with
Associated Press Chavez Ravine in 2017. to leave the Orix Buffaloes the potential to become a
By GREG BEACHAM Dodger Stadium stands and While he plays alongside this offseason. major league ace after a stel-
AP Sports Writer decided he absolutely had to Shohei Ohtani with his star- The big-budget, pitching- lar start to his career in Japan.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Just play in the major leagues one studded new club, Yama- poor Dodgers landed Yama- The Dodgers didn't disclose
over six years after Yoshinobu day, the right-hander pulled moto also intends to inspire moto to cap their prolific the value of the deal, but
Yamamoto watched a play- on his white No. 18 jersey and any dreaming youngsters in winter spending spree after several media reports have
off game from the raucous a blue cap in the center field the Dodger Stadium stands. signing two-way AL MVP tagged it at $325 million.q

NBA approves sale of Dallas Mavericks to families that run Las

Vegas Sands casino company

By SCHUYLER DIXON no indication the club will casino. She pumped more than $2 hours after Las Vegas Sands
AP Sports Writer leave Dallas. Gambling isn’t legal in Tex- million last year into a po- announced that Adelson
DALLAS (AP) — The NBA on Cuban has said he wanted as, and efforts to legalize it litical action committee, was selling $2 billion of her
Wednesday approved the to partner with Las Vegas face steep odds. Still, Miri- called Texas Sands, which shares to buy an unspeci-
sale of controlling interest of Sands with a long-range am Adelson has made no donated lavishly to state fied professional sports
the Dallas Mavericks from plan of building an arena in secret of her push to bring legislators and swarmed team.
Mark Cuban to the fami- downtown Dallas that also casino gambling to the the GOP-controlled Capitol It remains to be seen how
lies that run the Las Vegas would include a hotel and Lone Star State. with lobbyists. She gave an the sale will affect Cuban’s
Sands casino company. additional $1 million sepa- place in the spotlight.
The deal was approved just rately to Republican Gov. While the 65-year-old likely
shy of a month since the Greg Abbott. will continue to make bas-
families of Miriam Adelson But the spending blitz failed ketball decisions, the sale
and Sivan and Patrick Du- to deliver a breakthrough comes as he is stepping
mont announced their in- this year in the Texas Leg- away from the popular
tention to buy the club. The islature, where resistance business TV reality show
purchase is in the valuation to legalizing casinos runs “Shark Tank” after a 16th
range of $3.5 billion. deep. season next year.
Patrick Dumont, Adelson’s Texas already has a billion- Cuban was a highly vis-
son-in-law and president aire NBA owner who is a ible owner almost from the
and chief operating offi- casino operator, Houston day he bought the team in
cer of the Las Vegas Sands Rockets owner Tilman Fertit- 2000.
company, will serve as ta, who also supports bring- He never hesitated to
Mavericks governor. Adel- ing casinos to his home speak his mind, for many
son is the widow of casino state but has watched law- years meeting with report-
magnate Sheldon Adelson. Dallas Mavericks owner Marc Cuban on the sidelines during the makers sink the idea year ers while he worked on an
Cuban is expected to first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles after year. exercise machine before
maintain control of basket- Lakers in Dallas, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. News of the sale of the most home games.q
ball operations, and there’s Associated Press Mavs broke last month,