The Los Angeles Dodgers have secured the services of one of the most highly-touted pitchers in the world, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The right-handed pitcher from Japan has agreed to a record-breaking 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers, making him the highest-paid Japanese arrival in Major League Baseball history.
Yamamoto, who recently turned 25, has been turning heads with his exceptional talent and performance in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. He has won the Sawamura Award, Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young Award, for three consecutive seasons and has displayed exceptional command and dominance on the mound.
The fierce competition for Yamamoto’s services saw several big-market clubs, including the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, vying for his signature. The Dodgers’ deal dwarfs the previous record for a Japanese arrival, which was the seven-year, $155 million contract given to Masahiro Tanaka by the Yankees in 2014.
Yamamoto’s pitching prowess has been on display with impressive statistics, including posting ERAs of 1.39, 1.68, and 1.21 over the past three seasons in Japan, leading the league in strikeouts in 2023, and making history by throwing consecutive no-hitters.
MLB organizations have been closely monitoring Yamamoto since his debut with the Orix Buffaloes in 2017. His fastball velocity, unique pitch characteristics, and overall pitching repertoire have made him a highly sought-after prospect.
Yamamoto’s signing with the Dodgers is a bet that the young pitcher will continue to excel in the major leagues and become a crucial part of the team’s pitching rotation. With his exceptional talent and undeniable potential, the Dodgers are banking on a successful future with Yamamoto on the mound.