PHOENIX — Final yr, Yoshibou Yamamoto’s season debut was a trigger for alarm.
This yr it would sign simply how a lot belief the Japanese right-hander has earned getting into his second season with the Dodgers.
Regardless that the workforce added a two-time Cy Younger Award in Blake Snell, a 23-year-old phenom in Roki Sasaki, and returns final yr’s opening day starter, Tyler Glasnow, supervisor Dave Roberts introduced this week that it doubtless will likely be Yamamoto who will get the ball within the season opener subsequent month in Japan.
“I’m very trying ahead to it, to have the ability to pitch, carry out on the Japanese ballpark once more,” Yamamoto mentioned Thursday by means of interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “And I’d wish to get myself prepared the perfect I can.”
Granted, the setting of the sequence may need influenced the choice. Yamamoto doubtless will face Shota Imanaga of the Cubs within the opener on the Tokyo Dome. When Chicago supervisor Craig Counsell was requested about his choice to begin his Japanese star, Counsell joked, “I don’t assume I’ve a alternative.”
With Yamamoto, nevertheless, the glory additionally displays the strides he made in his rookie season, which began with a disastrous debut in South Korea in opposition to the San Diego Padres, was almost derailed by a midseason shoulder harm that sidelined him for nearly three months, and ended with the diminutive flamethrower rising because the Dodgers’ most constant starter throughout their postseason run to a World Sequence title.
“I realized so much from all of the experiences final yr,” Yamamoto mentioned after posting a 7-2 report and three.00 earned-run common in 18 regular-season outings, then a 3.86 ERA in 4 playoff begins, all victories.
“That type of helped me to regulate to what I used to be doing earlier than, and what I wanted to do” to achieve success within the majors, Yamamoto added.
It was a yr of transformation for Yamamoto, who signed a record-breaking $325-million contract final offseason after profitable three Most worthy participant awards in Japan’s Nippon Skilled Baseball league.
In his MLB debut in South Korea, he was knocked round for 5 runs in a single inning. His efficiency over the remainder of the primary half of the season featured extra inconsistencies, with Yamamoto battling all the things from pitch-tipping to unusually shaky command of the strike zone.
The low level got here after a stellar seven-inning shutout efficiency in opposition to the New York Yankees in June, when Yamamoto suffered a strained rotator cuff. For the subsequent three months, he was on the injured record. And his availability for October remained unsure.
Ultimately, although, Yamamoto not solely returned to motion in time for the playoff run, but additionally appeared more and more snug in his new environment. His pinpoint fastball command returned. His use of a signature splitter and curveball saved hitters off steadiness. And in his closing begin, in a pivotal Recreation 2 of the World Sequence, Yamamoto dominated the Yankees once more, giving up only one run and one hit over 6 ⅓ innings.
“Clearly, on this stage, he was unbelievable,” Roberts mentioned that evening.
Yamamoto’s objective is to make such gems a extra frequent incidence, with the 26-year-old aiming to stay wholesome and constant as certainly one of a number of frontline choices within the loaded, new-look rotation.
“That is my second yr, so it’s slightly extra snug,” Yamamoto mentioned. “I wish to take pleasure in the brand new guys this one month by means of spring coaching after which get myself prepared for the video games.”
Yamamoto, whose javelin-based coaching routine grew to become a degree of fascination final spring, mentioned he didn’t change a lot in his offseason program. However this spring he does occupy a barely completely different function within the clubhouse, serving as one thing of a mentor for Sasaki as he embarks on an identical transition from Japan.
“I’m very joyful to have him on the identical workforce with us,” Yamamoto mentioned of Sasaki, a former teammate on Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Basic squad whom Yamamoto helped recruit this winter.
Will there be any rookie hazing?
“Not at this level thus far,” Yamamoto answered with amusing. “However most likely.”
So far as opening day is anxious, Yamamoto mentioned a possible matchup in opposition to Imanaga — who additionally debuted within the majors final yr, incomes an All-Star choice with a 15-3 report and a pair of.91 ERA — could be “very thrilling” for him and followers throughout Japan. However he has larger targets, attempting to make use of the teachings he realized early in his rookie marketing campaign to creator a extra full sophomore season within the majors.
“Final yr I spent three months rehabilitating,” Yamamoto mentioned in Japanese. “This yr I wish to do my finest to contribute to the workforce for all the season and to develop into world champions once more.”