In a surprising revelation during his Dodgers introductory press conference, Yoshinobu Yamamoto shared that while Shohei Ohtani’s presence added excitement to his signing, he would have still chosen the Dodgers even if the 29-year-old had signed with another team.
“Even if he ended up somewhere else, I probably would’ve ended up in LA as a Dodger.” – Yoshinobu Yamamoto stated emphasizing his commitment to the historic franchise.
Yamamoto expressed gratitude towards stars like Shohei Ohtani, who played a role in negotiating his own contract to facilitate the team’s ability to sign him.
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The 25-year-old pitcher also addressed the influence of past Japanese pitchers in the Dodgers’ stadium, citing a playoff game he attended at the age of 19, where Kenta Maeda’s performance strengthened his resolve to join 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 most sought-after free agents in baseball history
The LA Dodgers officially announced the signing of Yamamoto to a groundbreaking 12-year, $325 million contract, solidifying their pitching staff’s star power. Yamamoto, the 12th Japanese-born player in Dodgers history, comes with an impressive track record from his dominant years in Japan, including three Pacific League MVPs and Sawamura Awards.
Thank You!
