The Los Angeles Dodgers proved their immense belief in Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto when they signed him to a record 12-year, $325 million deal in the offseason.
Yamamoto made his highly anticipated Major League Baseball debut Thursday in Seoul, South Korea, and it did not go well.
The Dodgers went to their bullpen after just one inning after the right-hander gave up five runs on 43 pitches in the second game of MLB’s Seoul Series.
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after allowing an RBI double in the first inning during a 2024 Seoul Series game against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 21, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. (Masterpress/Getty Images)
Yamamoto did manage to strike out two batters during the short outing, but the Dodgers dropped the second game of the series to the San Diego Padres.
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Yamamoto was one of the highlights of Los Angeles’ offseason spending spree. The franchise also managed to pry superstar pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani away from the Los Angeles Angels.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after allowing a two-run triple to Jake Cronenworth in the first inning during a 2024 Seoul Series game against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome March 21, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. (Masterpress/Getty Images)
Yamamoto started Thursday’s game by giving up a single, which he followed by hitting a batter and then allowing Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth’s triple to drive in two runs.
Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar became the first major league batter Yamamoto struck out.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the top of the first inning during a 2024 Seoul Series game against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome March 21, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea. (Gene Wang/Getty Images)
Yamamoto’s performances throughout spring training were considerably uneven. He pitched 9⅔ innings, posting an 8.38 ERA.
The Dodgers were not alone in their belief Yamamoto’s pitching dominance would transfer to the big league level in the U.S. The majority of scouts across MLB believed in the pitcher’s abilities, and multiple teams expressed interest in signing Yamamoto this winter.
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The Dodgers outbid the rest of the league for him.
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