Japanese sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto is going to be among the most talked about players in MLB free agency when things get going this winter.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will need to add pitching to the mix after an injury-plagued 2023 season and major struggles in that regard during their brief playoff stay.
So, it really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Dodgers are going to get themselves involved in the sweepstakes for the 25-year-old pitcher.
“Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 25, also is high on the Dodgers’ wish list, along with the New York Yankees and Mets,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported recently.
Yamamoto has been absolutely dominant in Japan, pitching to a 1.72 ERA in seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes. More than 20 MLB teams had scouts in attendance when Yamamoto pitched a no-hitter back in September.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto stats (Japan): 75-30 record, 1.72 ERA, 0.92 WHIP
Yamamoto is said to have a fast ball that reaches 97 miles-per-hour as well as three other plus pitches (cutter, curveball and splitter).
Despite winning 100 games during the regular season, pitching was an issue for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023. Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May all missed time to injury. As for May, he underwent elbow surgery back in July and is not expected to return until after the All-Star Break next season.
Related: Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the top 2023-24 MLB free agents
As Nightengale noted, the two New York teams in that of the Yankees and Mets are also expected to be in on Yamamoto. Heck, as many as 10 teams could be potential landing spots for the second-best free agent on the market behind fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani.