On Tuesday, as per the reports Los Angeles Dodgers had a meeting with Japanese ace pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto at Dodger Stadium.
Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman all attended yesterday’s Dodgers meeting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, per @FabianArdaya pic.twitter.com/9z4yWbZp0S
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 13, 2023
Now the fans have been left wondering if the Japanese ace pitcher could join Ohtani with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 MLB season.
The meeting held on Tuesday between the Dodgers and Yamamoto was also attended by Ohtani. According to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal, Los Angeles stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman also attended the meeting at Dodger Stadium.
A dig into the past Ohtani has played with Yamamoto in Japan’s NPB and were teammates on Team Japan during its World Baseball Classic championship run.
As for Yamamoto who is a free agent, many teams are trying to sign him including the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Giants. The 25-year-old is a three-time Pacific League MVP and Eiji Sawamura Award winner in Japan, totaling an ERA under 2.00 in each of his last three seasons.
Los Angeles Times Dodgers beat writer Jack Harris tweeted on Tuesday,
“Can confirm the Dodgers are meeting with free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Believe the meeting is taking place at Dodger Stadium. Yamamoto is a known Dodgers fan. LAD one of many teams targeting him.”
Yamamoto has already won three straight Sawamura Awards and has also earned Pacific League Most Valuable Player honors in each of the past three seasons. Now in the aftermath of Ohtani signing he is one of the most highly anticipated players to come to the Majors from Nippon Professional Baseball in years.
