Yoshinobu Yamamoto joins Dodgers, is ‘beyond ecstatic’
Superstar Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto officially donned Dodger blue for the first time today, wearing a No. 18 jersey during an introductory news conference at Dodger Stadium and saying "I came here to win."
"Good afternoon, my name is Yoshinobu Yamamoto,'' he said to open his comments -- reading an English-language script before answering questions in Japanese for the rest of the media session."
"I am beyond ecstatic to become a member of this historic franchise and cannot express how much it means to me to be able to call Los Angeles my new home,'' he added in English.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto's introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium. https://t.co/mlvQQjcIet
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) December 27, 2023
The 25-year-old right-hander agreed to terms last Thursday on a 12- year, $325 million contract -- the largest deal for a pitcher in terms of years and value in Major League Baseball history, according to reports.
He'll join Shohei Ohtani and fellow free-agent pitcher Tyler Glasnow on a 2024 Dodgers team that will be loaded with big stars, huge contracts and sky-high expectations.
Ohtani, the two-way slugging/pitching star, recently signed a historic 10-year, $700 million with the Dodgers -- but deferred the vast majority of the pact to enable the Dodgers to pursue other stars such as Yamamoto.
Yamamoto said he likely would have signed with the Dodgers had Ohtani signed elsewhere -- but that Ohtani's decision to defer really resonated with him.
"It was really clear that (the Dodgers) want to win, but on top of that, the fact that Shohei was doing that also signaled it wasn't just the front office, it was also the players that have bought into this winning
atmosphere as well,'' he said through an interpreter.
He stressed the Dodgers' chase of a World Series title tipped his decision after he was courted by numerous other MLB teams.
"It was very important for me (to join) a team that wants to win, and not only now but in the future as well,'' he said, adding that "through this whole process, the Dodgers provided that opportunity the most."
He said the Dodgers brought some of their incumbent stars into the recruiting process as well, which also helped.
"I really felt the front office people were all committed in the same direction,'' he said. "The Dodgers brought out some of their key players to me and I was really able to feel some of that clubhouse atmosphere."
Yamamoto's deal includes a $50 million signing bonus and does not include deferrals. It also includes two opt-outs, according to reports.
The Dodgers will also pay an additional $50.6 million posting fee to Yamamoto's previous team, the Orix Buffaloes, ESPN reported.
Combined with the Ohtani's contract, the Dodgers have committed more than $1 billion to two players in their quest to win another World Series. Los Angeles won the World Series in 2020, but other seasons in recent years have ended in playoff disappointment.
Yamamoto was the MVP of Japan's Pacific League and winner of the league's Eiji Sawamura Award as its best starting pitcher each of the past three seasons.
He had a 70-29 record with a 1.82 ERA in seven seasons with the Buffaloes. Yamamoto was a member of the championship-winning Japanese team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and the gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
