Yoshinobu Yamamoto (26, Los Angeles Dodgers), the No. 1 MLB pitcher’s ransom ($325 million), won his first big league debut.
In an away game against the 2024 MLB Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois on the 7th (Korea time), Yamamoto started for the third time this season, and recorded three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts in five innings, leading his team Dodgers to a 4-1 victory. He displayed a curveball game with his awl-like ball control.
Yamamoto made his debut in Game 2 of the Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres on April 21, but was sluggish as he allowed four hits and five runs during one inning. However, he rebounded by allowing no runs in five innings in the opening series in the mainland against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 31, and pitched well once again on the day to secure wins. Yamamoto’s ERA, which was 45.00 in his first appearance, fell to 4.09.
Yamamoto successfully overcame a crisis in the bottom of the first inning. He hit a double by Ian Happ, followed by a walk by Seiya Suzuki, and faced a single in the showdown with Cody Bellinger, putting him on the verge of full base with no outs. It reminded me of taking the mound against San Diego in the Seoul Series.
However, the outcome was different. Yamamoto struck out with just three curves in a game against No. 4 hitter Christopher Morell, and Dansby Swanson struck out three four-seam fastballs (straightball) by responding in a row with a ball count of 3 balls to 0 strikes. In the ensuing game with Michael Busch, he froze the opponents mainly focused on curves and splitters (based on left-handed hitters). 고수익알바
Yamamoto also gave up a double to Jan Gomes and a walk to Hep in the second inning, but he overcame the crisis by hitting a ground ball and striking out the follow-up Suzuki and Bellinger, respectively. Yamamoto, who took the third out for the first time in the third inning, hit all three batters of Hep, Suzuki and Bellinger in the bottom of the fifth inning after the batting line supported three runs, meeting the requirements for winning pitchers, and handed over the mound to Ryan Blazer before the start of defense in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Dodgers ran one more run with Miguel Rojas hitting a timely hit in the attack in the bottom of the eighth inning, and closer Evan Phillips gave up one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but he kept the lead and won.