PHOENIX — The Dodgers’ first official game of 2025 began with a reminder of 2024.

“Now taking the field,” said the public address announcer at Camelback Ranch on Thursday afternoon, “your 2024 world champion Los Angeles Dodgers!”

Come October, the Dodgers’ hope is to be back in the World Series, trying to become Major League Baseball’s first repeat champion in a quarter-century. For now, however, they are still breaking in their new-look roster, getting a first glimpse of this year’s squad in a 12-4 loss against the Chicago Cubs in their Cactus League opener.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the Dodgers’ starting pitcher Thursday, just as he is expected to be for their regular-season opener in Japan next month. The 26-year-old right-hander threw 27 pitches over 1 ⅔ scoreless innings, giving up three singles while striking out two batters and averaging 95.5 mph with his fastball.

It was the latest encouraging step this spring for Yamamoto, who manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week is “considerably ahead” of where he was last year — when Yamamoto was still getting acclimated to the Dodgers after signing a record $325-million contract out of Japan.

“Having one full season under my belt, this year I know how to prepare myself based on what I experienced last year,” Yamamoto, who had a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts last year and was the Dodgers’ most consistent starter in the postseason, said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.

“And also, with Doc and the coaches, I know how to communicate with everybody,” Yamamoto added. “I think the communication is better than last year.”

Mookie Betts was back at shortstop Thursday, returning to the position full time this year after an inconsistent three-month stint at the position during the first half of last season. Betts cleanly fielded all three grounders that came his way, including two back up the middle that took awkward hops off the mound.

“I’m really excited to prove everybody wrong,” Betts said earlier this week of his return to shortstop, where he committed nine errors (eight of them throwing) last season. “All the people that doubt me, they’ll see.”

Elsewhere around the diamond, new South Korean signing Hyeseong Kim made his Dodgers spring debut at second base, and drew a walk at the plate. Non-roster invitee Eddie Rosario — the 2021 MVP of the National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves against the Dodgers — opened the scoring for the Dodgers with a two-run home run in the second inning. Outfield prospect Zyhir Hope, a fast-rising 20-year-old acquired from the Cubs in a trade for Michael Busch last offseason, also made two impressive catches in left, sliding for one and crashing into the wall for another.

There was one scary moment in the Dodgers’ loss. In the top of the third inning, pitcher Bobby Miller was struck in the head by a 106 mph comebacker off the bat of Busch. The ball sent Miller’s hat flying off his head and left the 25-year-old former first-round pick with a large red welt on his forehead.

Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller reacts after being hit by a line drive of the bat of Chicago’s Michael Busch during the third inning Thursday.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller speaks with a team trainer after taking a comebacker off his head during Thursday’s Cactus League opener.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“That’s always very terrifying and frightening,” said Max Muncy, who played third base Thursday.

However, Miller was able to walk off the field under his own power. And while Miller was getting checked out by a trainer on the mound, Muncy said the pitcher even joked about hanging a curveball on the pitch that hit him.

Roberts said Miller is in concussion protocol, and will be monitored over the next couple of days.

“Very scary moment,” Roberts said, “but it was good to see him actually walk off the field and know where he was at.”

Ohtani working from wind-up

Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani speaks to reporters Thursday at Camelback Ranch.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Shohei Ohtani didn’t take part in Thursday’s game, as he continues to progress as both hitter and pitcher following shoulder surgery this past offseason to repair a torn labrum and a 2023 Tommy John revision procedure that prevented him from pitching last season.

However, as a hitter, Ohtani remains on track to be in the lineup in time for opening day. The team’s hope is to have him begin live batting practice next week, and start hitting in Cactus League games around the start of March.

On the mound, Ohtani is also already tinkering with changes to his delivery, even though he isn’t expected to be ready to pitch in game action until roughly a month into the season.

The biggest alteration thus far: Ohtani has reincorporated a wind-up into his delivery — a change from his Angels days when he primarily pitched out of the stretch.

“As part of being a baseball player, I do want to explore different options, different avenues, to see if I could grow as a player,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton, adding that he intends to use the wind-up in games, as well.

“That’s my plan,” he said. “But again, [as I continue] increasing the intensity [in my pitching], I do want to see how the body responds, how I respond to it. So yes, as of now, that’s the plan.”