Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers addressed their starting rotation with the signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a record-setting 12-year, $375 million contract during the offseason.
The right-hander became one of the most coveted free agents in MLB history after an outstanding career with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball and drew widespread interest from many teams.
The New York Yankees made a strong push to sign Yamamoto, with one report suggesting their offer was in the neighborhood of the Dodgers’ and included an opt-out clause after the 2028 season.
Yamamoto ultimately chose the Dodgers but expressed gratitude to the Yankees for showing genuine interest, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“The Yankees are a great team, and I appreciate their interest in me during the negotiation,” Yamamoto said through his interpreter after his seven scoreless innings Friday. “Like with some of the teams I negotiated with and had a meeting with – all the teams were great and I appreciate them equally. But when I face them, it’s just a normal game.”
Yankees general manager and senior vice president Brian Cashman recently said that the organization pulled out all the stops in order to sign Yamamoto and was relieved to see him land in the National League. However, it has also been reported the Yankees declined to give Yamamoto a contract that exceeded the $324 million deal Gerrit Cole signed.
Yamamoto has been brilliant for the Dodgers thus far and dazzled with seven scoreless innings against the Yankees in the series opener.
The 25-year-old is 6-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 2.64 FIP, 1.07 WHIP and 10.4 strikeouts per nine in 72 innings across 13 starts this season.
Yankees ‘brought out the best’ in Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes Yamamoto was motivated even further in his start against the Yankees due to the caliber of opponent and playoff atmosphere at Yankee Stadium.
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