Dodgers All-Star Has High Expectations for Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Ricardo Sandoval | May 21, 2024

May 13, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) relieves Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports / Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers had one of the most successful and expensive offseasons in 2023-24. The Dodgers signed two of the top free agents in baseball: three-time All-Star Shohei Ohtani and Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. 

There's no doubt Ohtani was the more surefire signing. As for Yamamoto, he was a high-risk, high-reward type. No pitcher had ever been more guaranteed more money than the Dodgers gave Yamamoto ($325 million over 12 years). It's a contract that screamed "ace of the future."

Coming into a new league with this type of talent was a worry, and Yamamoto was in for a rude awakening in his first major league start. He failed to pitch past the first inning against the San Diego Padres in the Dodgers' season-opening series in Seoul, South Korea on March 21.

Outside the organization, it was easy to doubt the wisdom of the Dodgers' investment. However, since his first MLB start, Yamamoto has been everything and more for the Dodgers' rotation — so much so that Dodgers All-Star infielder Freddie Freeman expects greatness from him every time he hits that rubber. 

"It feels like every time he goes out, everyone expects him to throw a complete-game shutout,"  Freeman said. "That's a lot on him. So for him to go out there and do what he's been doing these first two months, I think it's special."

The weight of expectations that comes with Yamamoto's contract is heavy for a first-year major league player. Yamamoto has delivered thus far. Outside of his first career start, Yamamoto has been an All-Star-level pitcher. He's recorded a 2.31 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 51 strikeouts, and only nine walks in 46.2 innings. 

The 25-year-old has found his footing in the league, and because of that, the Dodgers look like the prohibitive World Series favorites they were expected to be. Yamamoto is evolving and adapting in rapid fashion, a sign of bad things to come for opposing teams.

If he can keep things up, the Dodgers will have their ace for the next decade.