“If he went somewhere else, I still would’ve ended up in LA”

In a stunning revelation throughout his Dodgers introductory press convention, Yoshinobu Yamamoto shared that whereas Shohei Ohtani’s presence added pleasure to his signing, he would have still chosen the Dodgers even when the 29-year-old had signed with one other crew.

“Even if he ended up somewhere else, I probably would’ve ended up in LA as a Dodger.” – Yoshinobu Yamamoto said emphasizing his dedication to the historic franchise.

Yamamoto expressed gratitude in direction of stars like Shohei Ohtani, who performed a task in negotiating his personal contract to facilitate the crew’s potential to signal him.

The 25-year-old pitcher additionally addressed the affect of previous Japanese pitchers in the Dodgers’ stadium, citing a playoff sport he attended on the age of 19, the place Kenta Maeda’s efficiency strengthened his resolve to affix the MLB.

“I wouldn’t say that was the sole reason but when I was 19 I did end up coming to watch a playoff game here, and in that game Maeda did throw and it did really make me feel more strong about coming to the MLB.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one of the sought-after free brokers in baseball historical past

The LA Dodgers formally introduced the signing of Yamamoto to a groundbreaking 12-year, $325 million contract, solidifying their pitching workers’s star energy. Yamamoto, the twelfth Japanese-born participant in Dodgers historical past, comes with a formidable monitor file from his dominant years in Japan, together with three Pacific League MVPs and Sawamura Awards.

While not bodily imposing in peak, Yamamoto boasts a formidable repertoire, that includes a mid-90s fastball, a devastating split-fingered fastball, a pointy curve, and a minimize fastball. Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman praised Yamamoto’s distinctive mixture of expertise, work ethic, and psychological toughness, predicting his influence as a mainstay in the crew’s beginning rotation.

Yamamoto’s choice to affix the Dodgers, no matter Ohatani’s crew affiliation, underscores the franchise’s attract and repute in attracting high expertise. The Dodgers, having secured each Ohtani and Yamamoto in a span of two weeks, have strengthened their dedication to assembling a championship-caliber crew, making them a formidable power in the upcoming seasons.

Yamamoto’s signing not solely provides depth to the Dodgers’ pitching workers but in addition cements their place as a most popular vacation spot for elite gamers seeking to make a mark in the Major Leagues.