When the Los Angeles Dodgers inked Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a hefty 12-year, $325 million deal this offseason, they demonstrated their full commitment to the rookie, despite his lack of experience in Major League Baseball.
His inaugural start, which took place on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, ended in disappointment. Yamamoto was pulled after just one inning, contributing to the Dodgers’ eventual 15-11 loss.
According to Juan Toribio of MLB.com, Yamamoto’s performance marked a historic low for Dodgers starters, as he became the first since at least 1901 to concede five runs in his MLB debut while lasting one inning or less. It also stands as the shortest debut outing by a Dodgers starter since Ralph Mauriello in 1958.
Yamamoto’s final stats for the game were 1.0 inning pitched, four hits, five earned runs, two strikeouts, and one walk. He threw a total of 43 pitches, with only 23 finding the strike zone.
A Rough 1st Inning for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. pic.twitter.com/NAifO0kwip
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 21, 2024
Yamamoto’s struggles with command, coupled with relentless pressure from the opposing team, seemed to unsettle him from the outset, preventing him from finding his rhythm.
The game’s opening sequence saw Xander Bogaerts hitting a lead-off single on Yamamoto’s first pitch, a 96 mph fastball, followed by Fernando Tatis Jr. being hit by a pitch, and Jake Cronenworth driving a hanging splitter to right field for a triple. This series of events shattered whatever little confidence Yamamoto had mustered.
Speaking through an interpreter in his postgame press conference, Yamamoto acknowledged his inability to control his pitches, attributing it to the high run count. He expressed determination to analyze his performance, reset his mindset, and prepare for his next outing.
Despite falling into a daunting 5-0 deficit early on, the Dodgers refused to surrender. Mookie Betts ignited their offense by hitting his first home run of the season, ending the game with an impressive 4-for-5 performance, including six RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk. This marked the fourth time in Betts’ career that he drove in at least six runs in a game, and it was his first such achievement as a Dodger. Additionally, Will Smith had a standout performance, collecting four hits with two RBIs and a run scored, a feat he achieved only once in the entire previous season.
Hello Seoul, meet Mookie. pic.twitter.com/CYq2IGLBRj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 21, 2024
The Dodgers fought hard to narrow the gap, coming within a run in the eighth inning. However, their hopes were dashed when Manny Machado launched a three-run homer in the ninth, sealing their fate.
Manny with an absolute MOONSHOT 🚀 pic.twitter.com/PoLdBVgOZQ
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 21, 2024
Los Angeles will head back home for a three-game exhibition series against the Los Angeles Angels starting on Sunday. Following this, they will mark their home opener by hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday.
