Yoshinobu Yamamoto shares his first thoughts as Dodgers confirm $325,000,000 move - "I am truly excited to wear Dodger Blue"

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has become a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will play alongside his Japan national team colleague, Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers secured his services with a 12-year, $325 million offer, making him the highest-valued pitcher in baseball, surpassing Gerrit Cole's nine-year deal worth $324 million with the New York Yankees.

The Orix Buffaloes posted Yamamoto last month, and his arrival in the U.S. has been highly anticipated. He was one of the most sought-after free agents of this offseason, and several teams were competing for his signature, including the New York Mets and the Yankees. Ultimately, the Dodgers successfully persuaded him to join their team.

The X account of the Los Angeles Dodgers shared the news of the agreement on Wednesday.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto talked about his excitement about joining the Dodgers in the upcoming season.

“I am truly excited to wear Dodger Blue and can’t wait to play in front of a packed Dodger Stadium,” Yamamoto said in a press release.

It is uncertain where Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias will be playing in the future, but as of now, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to join Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Walker Buehler in the rotation for the 2024 season.

Many experts believe that Shohei Ohtani may have influenced Yamamoto's decision to join the Dodgers. Additionally, his deferred contract gave the team enough resources to pursue young talent during the offseason.

While the Los Angeles Dodgers are still scouting for potential players during the offseason, they are in the final stages of building their super roster for the upcoming season, with Yamamoto already on board.

Dominence of Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2023

Yoshinobu Yamamoto gained the attention of MLB teams with his outstanding performance in the 2023 season. He emerged as the winner of the World Baseball Classic, was named the Pacific League MVP and became an All-Star in Japan. He also secured the MLB's largest pitching contract, even before his big league debut.

The Japanese rising star kept a 1.21 ERA for 23 games while pitching 164 innings. His 169 strikeouts and two closing games, including one shutout, earned him his third Sawamura Award.

On top of it, Yamamoto played a pivotal role in the 2023 Japan Series where in Game 6, he led the Buffaloes for nine innings while allowing only one run in addition to 14 strikeouts.