GLENDALE, Ariz. – Yoshinobu Yamamoto got a standing ovation after throwing to hitters for the first time at Dodgers camp Saturday.
From Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers leadoff man led the applause for Yamamoto after the most expensive pitcher in baseball history handcuffed a group of hitters that included Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Jason Heyward. A large group of players, coaches and team officials watched the 28-pitch session from behind home plate and Betts walked out from behind the screen when Yamamoto finished, clapping. It spread to the crowd watching Yamamoto’s first performance against hitters since signing a 12-year, $325 million contract this winter.
“I went up to (Yamamoto’s interpreter) and said, ‘Please say Incredible in Japanese’ because that was incredible,” said Freeman, one of several players who congratulated Yamamoto after the live BP session. “That was very impressive. The whole package, the calmness to be able to execute when everyone is watching you. It’s very very impressive.”
It was the first big stage for Yamamoto as a Dodger with reporters surrounding the field, dozens of cameras pointed at him (including a team drone hovering near third base) and that large group of his new teammates gathered behind the screen set up behind home plate.
“That was incredible. Nasty,” Freeman said on the field immediately after managing to foul off two pitches during his at-bats against Yamamoto. “To go out there – first time, all eyes on you, all the hype – and just dot every pitch? Very impressive.”
The Dodgers have expressed confidence that Yamamoto’s pitch mix will translate to success in MLB with GM Brandon Gomes saying it is “electric” and “special” and particularly touting his ability to command all of those pitches — “it is up there with the upper echelon of guys I’ve seen command the baseball,” Gomes said.
Freeman said he was “very curious” to get a look at Yamamoto on the mound after all the hype this offseason. He saw Yamamoto’s fastball, cutter and splitter during his at-bats. They got his stamp of approval.
“That’s as good command as you can get right there,” Freeman said. “(First pitch) cutter to me, he missed by an inch at 92 (mph), then he went heater away. Then he went splitter down and away. … I didn’t see the curveball like the righties saw. But even that was commanded.
“(The fastball was) 95-96 (mph) and today it was 18 to 20 pitches of vert(ical break). So it’s riding on you. He doesn’t even have to throw that hard with the command he has. It’s the command plus the stuff that makes him the most sought-after guy (as a free agent this winter) – it makes a whole lot of sense.
“It’s just a great combination. Real glad he’s in this locker room.”
With a few hundred fans watching along with all the media and team personnel, Muncy joked that it was just a live BP session on a practice field but Yamamoto might have drawn a bigger crowd than a mid-season Pirates game.
“What didn’t he throw?” Muncy said of his at-bats. “He didn’t miss a beat. It was cool. Very impressive.”
For his part, Yamamoto said, “this is not (my) best yet and I’m going to keep adjusting with what I need to and it’s going to keep getting better.”
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When asked what Betts and Freeman had said to him on the field, Yamamoto responded in English with a smile, “Nice pitch.”
The Dodgers hitters have seen a lot of nice pitches the past two days. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw his first live BP session on Friday with Freeman and Betts among those overmatched this early in the preseason.
“What we’re facing Feb. 16 and 17 is exciting for us,” Freeman said. “Our confidence right now as hitters is low. Facing those kind of guys. … Obviously facing Glas over the last few years, it’s the extension, the stuff. They’re working on landing his off-speed stuff in zone more. If he does that, it’s going to be really fun to watch.
“Then right after that, we went Bobby Miller, James Paxton. Then Yarbs (Ryan Yarbrough) comes in and just carves you with 88s and 90s. It’s been a fun couple days – not as a hitter, but watching the pitching.”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s first live BP? Electric. pic.twitter.com/Q4wExEtpjA
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 17, 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Fastball & Curveball, Individual Pitches + Overlay (home plate view) https://t.co/LwOzdCB713 pic.twitter.com/lhFOCYHaKK
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 17, 2024