"I've seen a lot of videos" - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reveals what excites him the most about Yoshinobu Yamamoto's arrival
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is more than excited to have Yoshinobu Yamamoto on his team, and it’s easy to see why.
Yamamoto put pen to paper on a record-breaking $325 million contract with the Dodgers. The coveted Japanese ace was spoilt for choice during his free agency, with the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Red Sox all vying for his signature.
"Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reveals what excites him the most about the addition of Yoshinobu Yamamoto." - @DodgersNation
Speaking to Dodgers Nation following Yamamoto’s official Dodgers unveiling, Roberts explained what excites him the most about Yamamoto joining his side. He said,
“I have seen a lot of videos. I’m just really looking forward to just watching him embrace this fanbase, embrace his teammates. And clearly, listening to him, you can see how humble he is, how excited he is, but there is also that inner competence which you can feel when he is speaking.”
Even without pitching in MLB, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was in high-demand
Yoshinobu Yamamoto might not have thrown a single pitch in Major League Baseball before, but his demand during free agency was sky-high. Yamamoto becomes only the 12th Japanese player in Dodgers history. Through his dominant years in Japan, the ace has bagged three Pacific League MVPs and Sawamura Awards.
During his first Dodgers press conference, Yamamoto expressed his pleasure in being able to wear the number 18 jersey, which he used to wear on his previous team, and also while representing the Japanese national team.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto went on to add how Shohei Ohtani was not his sole inspiration behind joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speaking about his two-way teammate with whom he would be reuniting again, Yamamoto said,
"I wouldn't say he was the sole reason in deciding to come here, and if he went somewhere else I probably would have still ended up in L.A. Winning now and winning into the future was probably the most important thing in making this decision."
Yamamoto bolsters the Dodgers rotation by multiple folds and also strengthens the team’s position as a preferred destination for players who are looking to win big.