GLENDALE, Ariz. -- With all the fanfare surrounding Shohei Ohtani, it’s easy to forget the high level of attention that will surround Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto as he makes the transition to the Majors this season.
Yamamoto has been working out at Camelback Ranch for a few days, but the right-hander arrived at camp for his first official day on Thursday, joining the Dodgers pitchers and catchers for physicals.
Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year, $325 million deal this winter despite having yet to throw a pitch in the Majors, was welcomed by a Japanese media contingency of about 50 people, who were staked outside the facility for hours before his arrival.
With Ohtani unable to pitch in 2024, Yamamoto will be the center of attention of the Dodgers’ pitching rotation this season. Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow are expected to be the Los Angeles’ top two starters heading into the regular season.
Yamamoto is throwing his first bullpen session on Thursday. The right-hander said adjusting to the American culture, especially during Spring Training, will be crucial to his ability to have a seamless transition to the Majors.
The 25-year-old won the pitching Triple Crown in Nippon Professional Baseball, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts, and the Eiji Sawamura Award -- Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young -- in each of the past three seasons. Yamamoto went 49-16 with a 1.44 ERA and 580 strikeouts during that span.