SF Farhan Zaidi President Visits Japan to See Yamamoto

LAD Andrew Friedman, President, Attention From WBC

 

"The San Francisco Giants are interested in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have long expressed interest."

 

"Yamamoto is on track to become the next star to join the Major League after a brilliant career in the Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB)," the U.S. Dodger Blue said on the 27th.

 

Yamamoto was selected by the Orix Buffaloes in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. He started the season in the second division in the 2017 season, but made his professional debut in August against the Chiba Lotte Marines. In 2018, he played in 54 games as a setup man, and in 2019, he joined the starting rotation and turned into a starting pitcher.

 

In 2021 and 2022, Yamamoto became the first NPB player to win five pitching gold medals for two consecutive seasons. This season, the last season before leaving NPB, marked 16 wins, 6 losses and a 1.21 ERA in 23 games, showing a class of winning more than four gold medals for three consecutive years.

 

He also has excellent national team experience. He won the 2019 Premier 12 as the Japanese national team setup man, and won the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics as a starting pitcher.

 

He also joined the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team in March, helping the team win the championship. It was also evaluated that he could compete with world-class players.

 

At the end of the 2023 season, Yamamoto decided to challenge the big leagues. Yamamoto's season is not yet over because the Orix has advanced to the Japan Series, but Yamamoto is expected to be posted by the Orix as soon as the season ends.

 

Yamamoto's major league destination is still unknown, but it is clear that competition is intensifying considerably. Currently, so many teams, including the New York Mets, LA Dodgers, and San Francisco, want him. Among them, the most active teams are San Francisco and the Dodgers.

 

Dodger Blue said, "San Francisco's Pahan Zaidi headed to Japan to see Yamamoto, who was the starting pitcher in the first round of the Pacific League Final Stage between Orix and Chiba Lotte Marines on the 18th."

 

San Francisco's Pahan Zaidi president named Kim Ha-sung and Bob Melvin, former coach of Darvish Yu, for the recently vacant position. Coach Melvin was asked about recruiting Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto at his inaugural press conference because he had a lot of time with Asian players.

 

"They're all good players," Melvin said. I hope I can directly affect the recruitment," he said, expressing interest. And even San Francisco Zaidi president is heading directly to Japan, showing an active stance in recruiting Yamamoto.

 

The Dodgers also made their interest in Yamamoto clear early on. Dodger Blue said, "When Dodgers President Andrew Friedman visited the 2023 WBC Japanese national team, he already showed interest in Yamamoto."

 

Currently, the Dodgers need a starting pitcher because Julio Urias has been excluded, and Clayton Kershaw's future is unclear. Yamamoto, who won the NPB, renewed the Dodgers' taste buds. Dodger Blue said, "Yamamoto has an explosive weapon that is considered an ace." 스포츠토토

 

Meanwhile, San Francisco is also known to have high interest in Lee Jung-hoo in the Asian FA market. San Francisco's general manager Pete Putilla visited Gocheok Sky Dome to watch Lee Jung-hoo in the Kiwoom Heroes' last home game in October.