The Los Angeles Dodgers have launched their newest high-priced free agent acquisition, a participant to whom the franchise supplied a $325 million contract despite the fact that he has by no means thrown a pitch in MLB.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto met the Los Angeles media for the primary time on Wednesday, simply hours after the Dodgers confirmed he had signed a 12-year pact with the group. He joins nationwide teammate Shohei Ohtani at Dodger Stadium, with each gamers hoping to win a number of World Collection championships whereas locked in to decade-spanning offers.
Shohei Ohtani appears good in blue with customized jersey at LA Rams recreation
However whereas Yamamoto is completely satisfied to have Ohtani as his teammate once more for the lengthy haul, the star pitcher mentioned Wednesday that the two-time MVP’s determination to affix the Dodgers had no bearing on his personal — and the Dodgers’ bitter rivals, the San Francisco Giants, have been robust contenders to signal him throughout a busy free company.
Yamamoto wished Los Angeles all the way in which
Talking by an interpreter, Yamamoto defined he “in all probability” would have signed with the Dodgers anyway as soon as he was posted to MLB groups by the Orix Buffaloes — even when Ohtani had pivoted towards the Giants, the Toronto Blue Jays, or any of the opposite groups that held an curiosity in buying him.
Nonetheless, it could possibly’t be denied that Ohtani’s option to don Dodger blue helped LA‘s pitch to Yamamoto, who was courted by the Giants in addition to the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Although Ohtani cannot pitch in 2024 on account of an elbow damage, he can nonetheless rake on the plate because the Dodgers’ designated hitter — and Yamamoto will hope to make these anticipated contributions on the plate maintain up on the mound.
What makes Yamamoto particular?
Although he does not have the construct of a prototypical energy pitcher, the 5’10” Yamamoto can contact 100 miles-per-hour along with his fastball and may produce weak contact with a diving split-fingered pitch. Yamamoto additionally throws a giant, looping curveball to maintain hitters even additional off-balance.
Utilizing these three pitches, Yamamoto rang up a 1.82 ERA over seven seasons in Japan and struck out at the least 200 batters in two of these seasons. The 25-year-old helped Orix attain the Japan Collection — the nation’s equal to the World Collection — in every of the previous three seasons, and the Buffaloes gained the Collection in 2022.
