Yoshinobu Yamamoto debut: When could Dodgers' $325,000,000 ace make his first MLB start?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto may be one of the most hyped Japanese players to make the jump to the MLB. The 25-year-old opted to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason, landing himself a 12-year, $325,000,000 contract with the club.

Now, the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans are eagerly awaiting the MLB debut of Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It may be a bit longer for home fans to be able to witness Yamamoto pitch at Dodger Stadium. According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the team is looking to have Yamamoto make his MLB debut during the club's two-game series against the San Diego Padres.

"Another good column here from Dylan, including this nugget about the Dodgers planning to start Yamamoto in one of their Korea games next month" - @ByJackHarris

While the in-state rivalry would be exciting enough, the two-game series between both teams is set to take place in South Korea as the MLB continues to expand internationally. Hernandez reports the apparent reasoning behind Yamamoto's first start taking place in South Korea was that the environment would be much freer than what he experienced in Japan.

It will be quite the opponent for Yamamoto in his MLB debut as the San Diego Padres have a number of top-tier talents on their roster, including Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. Although the Dodgers will not be playing in Los Angeles during his potential debut, he will get a taste of some of the best hitters in baseball.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto left some fans nervous after the initial footage of his first bullpen session emerged

There will undoubtedly be a ton of pressure for Yamamoto to perform out of the gates given the hype around him and the lucrative contract he signed with the Dodgers. While Yamamoto will likely feel nervous entering his first start, Los Angeles Dodgers fans also feel the pressure for him to succeed as well.

"Yoshinobu Yamamoto throwing his first bullpen with the Dodgers (via @FabianArdaya)" - @MLBONFOX

Last week, footage of Yoshinobu Yamamoto's first bullpen session began to circulate on social media with a number of fans left uninspired by what they saw. Although it seems unfair to judge a player on a short online clip, Dodgers fans are expected a championship-caliber team from the beginning of the season considering the money the team spent.