'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Major League Baseball is a dream landing spot for the best talents around the world, and for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it wasn't any different.
In November, the Orix Buffaloes officially announced Yamamoto's posting, following which he instantly became one of the most sought-after players this offseason.
Several teams were vying for his services. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the Yamamoto sweepstakes after offering him the largest pitching contract in MLB history—a 12-year deal worth $325 million.
Many were shocked that a player got a record-breaking deal even before throwing a single pitch in the MLB. However, former major league outfielder Adam Jones has a different opinion, which he shared on ‘MLB Tonight.’
Trending
“Awesome,” replied Jones when he was asked about Yamamoto’s personality.
“I had him at [age] 22 and 23, and he's just awesome. He smiles. He's personable. Obviously, he seems a little bit more open than Shohei,” he added. "He's prepared his whole life for this moment. And as a baseball fan, I'm just excited to see him take on this challenge.”
Jones played for the Orix Buffaloes in 2021, where he played alongside the then-22-year-old Yamamoto.
Adam Jones, a 14-year MLB veteran, also stated that Yamamoto's performance would be critical, regardless of how much he would be paid.
“If you expect him to have a 1.29 ERA in Major League Baseball, you're crazy. I don't think anybody expects that. I think for him to go there and accept this challenge and again be on a big stage,” Jones mentioned on the show.
“You have the superstar Shohei, but you got Mookie, and you have Freddie Freeman and other guys, Will Smith. So I think he can fit right in and not just be always the big offseason sign.”
What is expected from Yoshinobu Yamamoto next year?
Expectations from Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be sky-high next season, but he has every tool in his arsenal to deliver.
In the NPB, he has an impressive 1.82 ERA over 897 innings in 172 games. Despite the challenges of playing in America, Yamamoto is still expected to maintain his form in the MLB.
By the age of 24, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had won a WBC championship and earned three Sawamura Awards, Japan's equivalent of the Cy Young Award, along with the Pacific League MVP title.
