“He is nothing to be messed with” - Yoshinobu Yamamoto's former opponent calls $325,000,000 pitcher ‘the real deal’
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has talent, that is undeniable. If he didn't, there wouldn't have been a $300 million bidding war for his services before he ever threw an MLB pitch. If he didn't, the Los Angeles Dodgers wouldn't have risked their financial future to get him on board.
There are some questions about how he will translate to the MLB. After all, only a select few NPB players make it over to the MLB. It's one of the best leagues worldwide, but its hitters are often not on the same level. How good will he be when everyone is close to the better hitters he faced?
Probably just fine, especially if former MLB player Lewis Brinson's word is to be believed. He moved from the MLB to the NPB and faced Yamamoto and said:
"I felt overmatched against him... He is nothing to be messed with. He is the real deal. He is the truth."
That's high praise from someone who once faced the best of the best pitchers in the MLB. Yamamoto's stuff is well documented and he has exceptional numbers. As for how well that will translate, Brinson warns anyone thinking he won't be able to adjust.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a ton of talent
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a talented pitcher, which is why everyone from the New York Yankees to the Philadelphia Phillies was lining up to offer him a contract. He ultimately signed in LA with the Dodgers, another testament to his talent.
He is so good that the Dodgers risked their financial future to get him. Not only is a 120-year, $325 million deal for a guy who hasn't thrown an MLB pitch a risk, but they also made a risky play clearing up space for him.
The Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani for $700 million but deferred $680 million. In the future, that will be harmful, but they deemed it worthwhile to pair Ohtani and Yamamoto, two of the best talents to come out of Japan in a very long time.