It’s only February but the heat of 2024’s MLB season is already spewing out. All eyes are on the Los Angeles Dodgers after their blockbuster signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto – the two international stars that most, if not all teams had their eyes on in the off-season. As the Blue Crew steps into their training attire, Yamamoto’s revelation about the “atmosphere with the organization” snubbed his former suitors.  

Though the 25-year-old is new to the international stage of MLB, his prowess is not one to be doubted. Rather, he has been seen already shining. So much so that his fellow Blue Crew folks have started making intricate observations. Walker Buehler, for instance, said, “It comes out of his hand really good; he spins it great,” says the impressed pitcher. Isn’t it great then, that Yoshi landed in Orange County of all places?

East Coast vs West Coast? – Guess What, Yamamoto’s Decision Was Beyond Location

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s the man who had almost moved to New York. When one sees him from that lens, an interesting question comes to mind. Why did Yoshinobu Yamamoto prefer the LA Dodgers to the New York Yankees or the New York Mets? Well, in a New York Post article, Joel Sherman covered Yoshi’s words in the clubhouse interview. He shared why he went with the West Coast despite the teams of NY being “really serious about having me on their team”. 

Yes, the Mets and the Yankees, besides the Dodgers were top guns in the chase for the 5× NPB All-Star. And per Yamamoto, they “communicated with me that they were really serious about having me on their team,” and he too reciprocated the interest. While the common belief was that the 3× Eiji Sawamura Award winner preferred the West Coast, it wasn’t a big deal. But there were other factors. 

Yamamoto clarified, “I really got the impression that the Dodgers were very successful for a very long time. And just that the atmosphere with the organization was really good.” Now that was a subtle snub on the New York franchises. Perhaps money or location wasn’t really an issue. It was as simple as looking into which team could provide a winning environment. 

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Signing Reflected Aspects of Modern Baseball 

With that, the Southern California – West Coast team won the bidding war. What was expected to be a north of $200 million deal at the beginning of the offseason, became $325 million. The largest-ever contract this offseason was given to a starting pitcher who has never stood on an MLB mound. But that’s not where modern baseball peaks. 

Organizations did not miss a beat when they figured Yamamoto was 25. He was closely assessed with the “same pitch-tracking technology with the Orix Buffaloes as used in MLB”. The velocity the team saw compared quite impressively with top-notch pitching MLBers. This provided the much-needed cushioning to the Dodgers and other pursuers knowing that they’d be gambling over this young ace. 

‘Yoshi’ Has His Teammates Smitten 

With spring training underway, the cushioning seems to get better and better. The Dodgers are already impressed with his abilities; including the ones who were not there to witness him pitch. One coach said, “I heard it was nasty. I heard he was just dotting everywhere.” Is that what one of the most coveted arms looks like? 

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Let’s not forget, the righty is a 5-foot-10 and 176-pound pitcher. Tyler Glasnow who is listed at 6-8 and 225 pounds commented on his strength despite being petite. His words were, “I’ve seen people like that. I just think he’s really wiry and really strong. I don’t know if size necessarily matters. I think he can just collect himself very efficiently and there’s no wasted movements in his mechanics.”

He further broke down his perception of Yamamoto’s technique. Perhaps it’s all about weight distribution. He commended how athletic Yoshi is and how well he moves. Another fellow Boy in Blue, Buelher said, “It comes out of his hand really good; he spins it great. I’m just kind of curious to get my eyes on the whole picture of it.” All these comments and statements filled with awe only reflect that the team is impressed. 

To witness Yamamoto just play catch with Buehler, over 70 photographers, videographers and fans flocked to the scene. Well, to be honest, the Dodgers have a lot to get used to considering how much media attention their two new Japanese additions are getting. The manager of the LA Dodgers addressed this as reported in an article by The Athletic. 

Is the Spotlight A Distraction For the Los Angeles Dodgers? 

Dave Roberts is an objective man. He believes if you let the spotlight be a distraction, it very well can be a distraction. But the way he embraces this uncanny attention like never before is noteworthy. He mentioned, “It’s going to be a learning curve for everyone. But I think that part of my messaging to the players is going to be, it comes with the territory. I think that the expectations of winning, the expectations of answering questions when you don’t feel like it, it’s part of the job.” It might be challenging, but it will also be conquerable. 

After all, it is the shared goal of winning the Commissioner’s Trophy that’s driving them all. The 2024 season is going to be one to look forward to. No matter the hype and attention, the Dodgers have an advantage with Yoshi. The one that the New York Mets and Yankees couldn’t have.