Part of the Los Angeles Dodgers adding significant talent to their roster during the offseason was the signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to respective record-setting contracts.
Ohtani was first to join the Dodgers, doing so on a 10-year, $700 million deal that includes a staggering amount of deferred salary. He then was part of the Dodgers’ free agency meeting to pitch Yamamoto on joining the team, with Freddie Freeman, Bobby Miller and Will Smith among those to welcome the right-hander to Dodger Stadium as well.
Ohtani and Yamamoto had a prior friendship as Japan natives and World Baseball Classic teammates. They dined together in Los Angeles during the offseason and now are at Camelback Ranch for Spring Training workouts.
Yamamoto threw his second bullpen session of the spring on Sunday, which drew a crowd that featured Ohtani, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, manager Dave Roberts and several others.
Today’s bullpen action: Yoshinobu Yamamoto is back on the mound, this time with Shohei Ohtani watching on from behind pic.twitter.com/sf0DWgSCSF
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) February 11, 2024
Same, Shohei. pic.twitter.com/ZuVoHO9Dx7
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 11, 2024
All eyes on Yoshinobu. pic.twitter.com/afkReZiJYV
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 11, 2024
Yamamoto’s $325 million deal with the Dodgers is the richest contract for a pitcher in MLB history. It narrowly edged the nine-year, $324 million contract Gerrit Cole signed with the New York Yankees in December 2019.
The Dodgers are counting on Yamamoto to pair with Tyler Glasnow in leading their reworked starting rotation. Yamamoto joined the Dodgers on the heels of winning three consecutive Eiji Sawamura Awards — Nippon Professional Baseball’s version of the Cy Young.
Along with his bullpen sessions drawing plenty of attention, so too has Yamamoto’s javelin routine as part of his unorthodox training.
Gavin Lux impressed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto
When Yamamoto threw his first official bullpen of Spring Training camp, Gavin Lux stepped into the batter’s box to track pitches.
Lux came away thoroughly impressed by Yamamoto’s arsenal and in particular a windup delivery that includes a slide step.
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