When Will Yoshinobu Yamamoto Make His MLB, Dodgers Debut?

The Dodgers' big free agent signee's first start is sure to be a closely watched affair.

The Dodgers' big pitching move of the offseason was landing Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a record total value contract. He signed with Los Angeles on a  12-year, $325 million deal, which is a big gamble to take for a guy who has never pitched in the big leagues.

However, the Dodgers front office isn't worried at all. They believe that Yamamoto is the real deal and can be someone to lead their rotation for years to come.

Naturally, his addition to the team brings a lot of attention, both nationally and globally. So, the big question is when will he make his debut for the Dodgers?

According to The Los Angeles Times's Dylan Hernandez, Yamamoto is slated to start one of the two games against the San Diego Padres in South Korea. This is a big honor for Yamamoto, and he will get to make his first impression overseas. 

"The Dodgers plan for Yamamoto to start a game in their season-opening, two-game series against the San Diego Padres in South Korea, according to sources familiar with the situation not authorized to speak publicly."

Per Dylan Hernandez of The LA Times

Assuming the plan stays the same, Yamamoto will have all eyes on him when he takes the mound against San Diego. His debut will be a closely watched affair, and many will want to see what the hype around him is about.

Yamamoto joins the Dodgers after spending his entire professional career playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball. He dominated the NPB, becoming a three-time Most Valuable Player.

Over in Japan, Yamamoto has been used to pitching once a week, so the Dodgers may elect to ease him into the typical MLB schedule of every five days. He should be able to get accustomed to the new league fairly quickly, and the team is expecting big results from him.

Yamamoto is still only 25 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to continue growing his already impressive skill set. If he is anything like the Dodgers believe, he will become their top pitcher in short order.