"He was never really pushy" - Yoshinobu Yamamoto reveals how Shohei Ohtani recruited him to play for the Dodgers

Soon after his introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium, new Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has revealed that compatriot Shohei Ohtani did not push him to sign for the LA side. Having signed a record-breaking contract for a MLB newcomer with the Dodgers just days after Ohtani's acquisition, many assumed that his Japanese national teammate was the main reason behind his decision. However, Yamamoto has now revealed that his senior compatriot was supportive of any decision that he made and did not push him too hard to sign with the Dodgers.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a proven pitcher in Japan's NPB. He won the Japan Series once and the MVP as well as the best pitcher award thrice before the age of 25 years. When he was posted to the MLB free agent market, many labelled him as the best pitching talent to ever come out of Japan. After a prolonged free agency, the 25-year-old followed compatriot Shohei Ohtani and signed for the Dodgers on a long-term lucrative deal.

The Dodgers reportedly faced competition from the New York Yankees and the New York Mets during their pursuit of Yamamoto, and pulled out all the stops to land the young prospect. This included meetings in the presence of stars like Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freeman. Hence, many believed it was Ohtani who tipped the scales in their favor. However, Yamamoto has said the two-way star was infact supportive of any decision he made and always ready to help in any way possible.

"He was never really pushy about like, 'Hey come to the Dodgers.' He mentioned over and over again, 'Wherever you end up, I’m going to support you, I’m going to be rooting you on.'"

Yoshinobu Yamamoto's agent reveals which team he would have signed for if not the Dodgers

New Los Angeles Dodgers acquisition Yoshinobu Yamamoto was reportedly interested in one other team in MLB before signing for the LA side. The Japanese star represented by well-known agent Joel Wolfe, who disclosed that Yamamoto was interested in one more team apart from the Dodgers.

According to Wolfe, while there were several teams offering contracts to Yamamoto, his client only really considered the San Francisco Giants before making his decision. Hence, if it did not work out with the LA front office, he could well have signed for Giants by now.