From envisioning himself pitching in the big leagues in 2019 to actually getting ready to be on the mound in 2024, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has come a long way. Coincidently, this seed of desire was planted in the Dodger Stadium as he witnessed Kenta Maeda, wearing No. 18 for the Dodgers as a fan. Today, he himself will be wearing the No. 18. as a part of the Blue Crew. Lately, Yamamoto greeted the audience formally for the first time as a Los Angeles Dodger.

Well, a public appearance of the 25-year-old debutant was due since he found a new home for 12 years in Southern California. As a part of his new club, this prodigy has stolen hearts with his “first words as a Dodger”.  

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s First Formal Address

Bruce Kuntz of the Dodgers Digest shared a snippet of the former Orix Buffaloes star in his new uniform. He spoke rather cautiously in English, a daily foreign language to him. His words were, “Good afternoon. My name is Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the LA Dodgers. I am beyond ecstatic to become a member of this historic franchise, and cannot express how much it means to me to be able to call Los Angeles my new home.“

While one can’t hold back saying, ‘Brownie points for the English’, it is the intent behind his words that stood out. He went on to share how he was focused on only moving forward. Yoshi also pledged to the fans of Los Angeles that he would put his energy into to become a better player moreover to become a world champion being a part of the Dodgers. 

He further shared his view on his aspirations as per dodgers.mlblogs.com. The left-handed pitcher’s words were, “I will stop simply admiring the players that I looked up to and rather strive to become the player that others want to become.” With that came a new sense of purpose and hope for the Blue Crew. Shohei Ohtani’s presence only makes it even more exciting. 

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Going Through Challenges, What Lies Ahead for This New Los Angeles Dodger?

In his address, Yamamoto touched upon his discussions with the Dodgers during his recruitment. His engagement via conversations with important players along with the recently signed Shohei Ohtani added a lot of value to his decision. Yamamoto openly expressed gratitude about the opportunity to team up with the Unicorn for a long period 

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The celebrated southpaw, noted that there are “adjustments and challenges ahead of him”. Moreover, he is in a new country and has a big responsibility of show casing his prowess on an international platform. But the club is optimistic. Dave Roberts, the manager of the LA Dodgers said, “..this is a pretty good staff we’ve got.” These words of affirmation only boost the confidence of the MLB world.