Could Japanese ace pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto join his compatriot Shohei Ohtani with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 MLB season? That's a likely possibility considering the former met with team officials at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.
National MLB insider Russ Dorsey confirmed Yoshinobu Yamamoto's meeting with Dodgers management, per Los Angeles Times Dodgers beat writer Jack Harris.
“Can confirm the Dodgers are meeting with free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as @Russ_Dorsey1 said…Believe the meeting is taking place at Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto is a known Dodgers fan. LAD one of many teams targeting him,” Harris tweeted on Tuesday.
News of the Dodgers pursuing Yoshinobu Yamamoto broke out following the signing of Shoehei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract this past weekend. The two teams from the Big Apple – the New York Yankees and New York Mets – are also reportedly interested in adding Yamamoto to their pitching rotation.
Whether the Dodgers succeed in locking up Yamamoto to a long-term deal or not, the Japanese ace will command a hefty salary north of $300 million.
The 25-year-old Yamamoto has spent his entire seven-year career with Nippon Professional Baseball's Orix Buffaloes. He racked up a slew of accolades since he made his pro debut in 2017. These include five NPB All-Star selections and three Japanese Triple Crowns.
If Yamamoto takes the mound for the Dodgers in the 2024 MLB season, he will join a rotation that includes Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Dustin May.
When Shohei Ohtani receives the go-signal to pitch again in 2025, he and his fellow Japenese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto could form a spectacular pitching duo for the Dodgers that year.
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