Amidst Dodgers’ Strong Start, Will Yoshinobu Yamamoto Recover From a Disasterous Debut as $325 Million Expectations Grow?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s debut was nothing short of a total nightmare. The $325 million ace saw himself turning into a topic of fan banter after he gave away 5 runs in just one inning. That put him on top of an unwanted list – the most runs given by a debuting Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher in his first inning. However, for most Blue Crew faithful, this wasn’t a surprising occurrence.

It’s never easy for a player to hit the ground running in MLB. Only a rare few like Shohei Ohtani and Ichiro Suzuki have started their first season with a bang. Perhaps that’s why fans have given him a lot of leeway till now. But now with the Dodgers having a dream start to their season, Yamamoto’s about to make his home debut. A victory is a must but more importantly, a visible improvement is desired. Yamamoto has said that he knows “how to fix” his issues. Now is the chance to show he does.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto looks to forget his nightmarish debut 

As Yamamoto made his way to the Gocheok Sky Dome, there was a lot of pressure on his back. After all, he had just signed the biggest pitching contract without throwing even a single ball in the major leagues. One wouldn’t have complained had he failed but the level at which things went wrong made everyone question Yamamoto’s suitability. After all, responsibility may or may not come with great power but it definitely comes after a great price. 

Yamamoto recorded a ridiculous 45 ERA in his debut game. He was attacked from the beginning and as the manager Dave Roberts said, “He just didn’t have the command.” (via Dodgers Nation) But then that’s in the past, Yamamoto will get multiple chances to prove his abilities. The first of which is coming today March 30. 

Yamamoto is expected to start Game 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers won the previous two games without much stress. Most importantly – the games were primarily won after great pitching displays by Tyler Glasnow and Bobby Miller. With his place as the number 2 starter on the line, Yamamoto will have to stage a great comeback. Luckily for him, Yamamoto has a lot of tools in his arsenal as visible from his scouting report.

The Dodgers’ ace’s wide array of pitches to help him stage a comeback?

According to Baseball Savant, Yamamoto throws four pitches – fastball, splitter, cutter, and curveball. While the sample size is only his game against the San Diego Padres, it did show an encouraging sign. Rarely can a pitcher throw a splitter with over 90 mph pace but Yamamoto’s made a career out of them. 

But as The Sporting News’ Edward Sutelan wrote, what makes Yoshinobu Yamamoto elite is his control and command. While against the Padres he may have lost some of that command, it’s something that can be gained back in time. The fact that his stuff is so good only makes it more likely that the Japanese superstar will be able to find his footing again.

Until then, the Los Angeles Dodgers fans hope that Yamamoto’s home debut is better than his league debut. After all, rivals calling your $325 million ace a bust isn’t something you’d want to hear.

Read more: Dodgers Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto Opens Up on Disaster Debut, Pinpoints Major Issue Ahead of Next Outing