Yoshinobu Yamamoto Signs with Dodgers, Yankees Pivot to Other Pitchers

MLB scouts question if Yamamoto can consistently perform as a top-tier pitcher in the major leagues due to his small stature and the transition to a five-day rotation.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the most sought-after pitcher on the free-agent market, has signed a $325 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving the New York Yankees to focus on other pitchers.
The Yankees had hoped to add Yamamoto to their rotation behind ace and Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, but are now looking to bolster their starting pitching depth.
Yamamoto's contract is $1 million more than Cole's, raising speculation that Cole might opt out of his contract to renegotiate the original nine-year, $324 million deal he signed in Dec. 2019.
Despite Yamamoto's impressive record in Japan, MLB scouts are unsure if he can consistently perform as a top-tier pitcher in the major leagues due to his small stature and the transition to a five-day rotation.
The Dodgers' acquisition of Yamamoto is part of a $1.1-billion winter spending spree that also saw them sign two-way star Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Tyler Glasnow.