Diamondbacks Face Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers in Glendale

The Arizona Diamondbacks will travel to Glendale to face Shohei Ohtani and their NL West Rival Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. Game time is 1:05 p.m. Arizona time.

The D-backs will return from their split-squad weekend where they faced the Athletics in Las Vegas twice, with half the squad remaining in Arizona.

For the Diamondbacks, it'll be right-hand reliever John Curtiss who gets the official start. Curtiss was a minor league signing this offseason, but has pitched very well so far in the Cactus League.

Over his first four appearances in Spring Training, Curtiss has allowed only one run - a solo homer against the San Francisco Giants. However, that is the only baserunner Curtiss has allowed so far, and he's struck out six over 4.1 innings.

Curtiss throws a hard 89 MPH slider as his primary pitch, but also throws a 93 MPH fastball and rare changeup. He pitched just 2.1 regular season innings in 2024, giving up three runs for the Colorado Rockies.

For the Dodgers, it'll be right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto was a "rookie" in 2024, after signing with the Dodgers out of NPB in Japan. The 26-year-old only threw 90 innings last season as a result of a triceps injury, but he posted a quality 3.00 ERA in that limited action.

He throws a diverse arsenal, relying on a mid-90s four-seam, 90 MPH splitter and slow looping curve. He also keeps a cutter, slider and sinker in his back pocket.

So far this spring, Yamamoto has allowed 11 hits, two walks and two homers, leading to five earned runs over eight innings, and a 5.63 ERA. Spring Training results are nothing to truly bank on, however.

Lineups

The Diamondbacks will get Corbin Carroll back in the lineup again. After suffering from lower back tightness, Carroll had a solid 2-for-3 day in his return debut against the Cincinnati Reds.

After Carroll, the D-backs will send a few of their major leaguers, but will turn to mostly their minor league bats below the top four. Gino Groover, Ildemaro Vargas and Connor Kaiser will man the infield in the heat of a battle for the utility infielder job.

Angel Ortiz and Kevin Graham, two relatively unknown D-backs names, will get starts at DH and LF respectively.

But on the Dodgers' side, it's mainly their deadly major league lineup. Curtiss will have a challenge ahead of him, as Shohei Ohtani will lead off and DH.

It doesn't get easier from there, with Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy all waiting just behind Ohtani. Mookie Betts is not in the lineup for Monday's game.