Yoshinobu Yamamoto went into his rookie season with the Los Angeles Dodgers facing plenty of expectations, both because of his talent and achievements in Japan, but also because of signing the richest contract for a pitcher in MLB history at $325 million.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggled in his MLB debut against the San Diego Padres during the Seoul Series last year, but otherwise had a productive first half of the 2024 season as a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie.
The New York Yankees were called the "favorites" to land a Japanese star coming to Major League Baseball next year, over the Los Angeles Dodgers and others.
The Los Angeles Dodgers became the de facto home team of Japan last season after signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to record-setting contracts in free agency.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a Clayton Kershaw announcement as they gear up to open the 2025 season in Tokyo.