SEOUL, South Korea – Baseball fans were left in shock as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, after signing a record-breaking $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, had a disastrous debut against the San Diego Padres. Lasting only one inning, the 25-year-old right-hander gave up five runs, leaving with a staggering 45.00 ERA.
Yamamoto, a two-time Pacific League MVP in Japan, struggled from the start, falling behind 2-0 after just nine pitches. Despite throwing 43 pitches in the inning, he managed to record only three outs before being replaced by Michael Grove with the Dodgers trailing 5-1.
The Padres took full advantage of Yamamoto’s struggles, batting around the lineup. His lack of control was evident as he allowed four hits, walked a batter, hit another, and threw a wild pitch – all while only finding the strike zone with 23 of his 53 pitches.
The Dodgers’ hopes quickly faded as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jake Cronenworth contributed to the Padres’ 2-0 lead off Yamamoto. Even with pitching coach Mark Prior visiting the mound early in the game, the damage was already done as the Padres continued to capitalize on the struggling pitcher.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, their defense was unable to rescue Yamamoto, allowing five runs in the first inning for the first time since last season. The magnitude of Yamamoto’s contract with the Dodgers, signed in December, only added to the disappointment of his debut performance.
It remains to be seen how Yamamoto will bounce back from this rough start, but it is clear that his first outing in a Dodgers uniform did not go as planned. As the baseball world watches closely, all eyes will be on Yamamoto as he looks to redeem himself in future games.