Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the talk of the baseball world right now, and the Dodgers are one of the most serious teams interested in his services. Yamamoto would front-line the L.A. starting rotation for years, and the front office seems focused on landing him.
The two sides met last week at Dodger Stadium, and the team pulled out all the stops. They had multiple players partake in the meeting, including new Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani and Yamamoto know each other well from their time together with Team Japan, and his presence spoke volumes.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts even said that Ohtani has been recruiting Yamamoto to join the team. But ultimately, it will come down to where he feels most comfortable because the money will be there from whichever team he chooses.
MLB Insider Jon Morosi of MLB Network has reported that Yamamoto has a strong desire to play on the biggest stage in the big leagues. He pitched on the smaller team in Japan and wants to take center stage under the bright lights.
Yamamoto wants to embrace the big stage, and it makes sense why the biggest markets around the country are in on him. The Dodgers, along with both New York teams, are seen as the frontrunners for his services this winter.
Both Los Angeles and New York offer Yamamoto the chance to take center stage within the United States, so it just really depends on which coast he prefers to play on. There have been reports that Yamamoto grew up a fan of the Dodgers and that he may prefer the West Coast — which could end up helping L.A.
There has also been some talk about whether or not Yamamoto would pick the Dodgers, as he would be “under the shadow of Ohtani” in L.A. However, the Dodgers would provide him the chance to be their ace while also giving him the best chance to compete for World Series titles.
It remains to be seen where Yamamoto will end up, but he is the most coveted man in baseball now that Ohtani is off the market.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
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