Yoshinobu Yamamoto is getting comfortable and was the star in his last start against the Yankees. Seven shutout innings resulted in a very low-scoring game that went to 11 innings to conclude. He did not get the win, but he was a big part of it, giving his teammates wiggle room to score to get the victory eventually. In his previous starts, his fastball averaged 95 mph. In his start against the Yankees, his fastball was 97 mph. That is a significant difference. Two miles per hour can mean the difference between a hitter driving the ball to center field and popping out for an out. Perhaps, this could be the difference maker.
Not so, I think, since he had been doing well before upping the velocity of his fastball. There is a difference though in how good he could be depending on how much rest he has between starts. On five days' rest between starts, Yamamoto is 4-1, earning an ERA of 2.59 in eight starts. On 6 days or more of rest, he is 2-1 with a bloated ERA of 3.86 in 5 starts. Oddly, he does better with short rest than he does with extended rest.
It is unclear whether the extra velocity he administered in his last start against the Yankees had any bearing on the decision, but he is getting an extended day or two to rest his arm. This is, however, not surprising since in the NPB, pitchers have a 6-man rotation. Perhaps Roberts just wants him to take extra days off between starts as a precaution. Whatever the reason, it appears the Dodgers are being very careful about how they handle his career. Who can blame them? Yoshi is, in fact, the highest-paid pitcher who had never previously played in MLB after signing a 12-year, $325 million contract with the team in the offseason.
After a terrible spring training camp and a forgettable first start in Korea against the San Diego Padres, some people wrote him off. People began to point him out as a fluke. But what do you know? He adjusted and those naysayers suddenly had nothing to say. Yoshinobu is a great pitcher and has always been. He did not get the start he wanted like his fellow countryman, Shota Imanaga, but he has since settled, as his ERA keeps lowering with every start he makes.
There is something very interesting transpiring regarding Yamamoto's agent, Joel Wolfe. He is being connected to pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. Roki has expressed his desire to pitch in the MLB earlier than expected as he continues to challenge himself to the next level. The young man speaks highly of Yoshi, prompting people to speculate that he is going to the Dodgers.
Nothing is set in stone, but if Roki signs with the Dodgers, they would have the trifecta of three of the best Japanese pitchers in all of NPB, generational talents who could lead the organization to multiple championships in ten years. Again, this is only speculation. Nonetheless, the Dodgers would absolutely be one of Sasaki's preferred destinations. However, the Yankees are also interested. They could not get Ohtani in a Yankee uniform. They also failed with Yamamoto. Could they really miss out on another phenom from the East? The Yankees need a Japanese superstar. They have not had one since Hideki Matsui. It is time. And it is long overdue.
The Dodgers would truly benefit from having three superstars from Japan on their roster. Fans of Ohtani will tune in. Fans of Yamamoto will tune in. And fans of Sasaki will tune in. As some know, Ohtani played for the Nippon Ham Fighters. Yoshi played for the Orix Buffaloes. And Sasaki currently plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines. They played for three different teams, so fans of those teams are a niche market for the Dodgers. We will just have to wait if what people expect to happen actually comes to fruition.
Do not miss Yoshinobu Yamamoto's next start on Saturday, June 15th.
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