"Bring on the evil empire of the West Coast baby!" - Dodgers fans on cloud nine after team outmuscles Yankees and Mets to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The pursuit for Yoshinobu Yamamoto has concluded with the coveted Japanese pitcher signing for the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 12-year deal. He joins compatriot and fellow baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani at the club.

The LA Dodgers have reportedly offered a $325 million contract for 12 years, the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history. Yamamoto won three consecutive MVP awards and Sawamura Awards in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and his credentials in Japan made him an instant target for MLB sides.

He was posted by the Orix Buffaloes earlier this year, who will receive a $50.6 million posting fee for the Japanese ace. The 25-year-old became the second most expensive signing of the offseason behind Ohtani, who also signed for the Dodgers earlier this month.

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Given that the Dodgers have signed two of the biggest names in the ongoing offseason, Dodgers fans are buzzing and looking forward to the next season:

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Yamamoto's body of work in Japan makes him an invaluable addition to the Dodgers rotation

While the 25-year-old Japanese isn't the tallest pitcher to come to MLB, his intense fastball and deceptive curveball make him an invaluable asset. Yamamoto was the most dominant pitcher in the NPB for the last four years, posting a 1.65 ERA and letting just one homer every 28 innings.

The New York Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Dodgers were all chasing the coveted ace ever since his 45-day window was activated following his posting by the Orix Buffaloes in November.

However, the 2020 World Series champions won the race for the right-handed pitcher with reports hinting at an influence from Ohtani, who signed a record-shattering deal himself with the LA Dodgers earlier this month. Yamamoto's singing adds further fuel to the team's chances of a strong postseason run next year.

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