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Yamamoto scores first QS in ML debut, but not enough to prove '448.1 billion won' ransom
For the first time in his major league career, he had a quality start (6+ innings and 3 earned runs or less). But the story is still a bit murky. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers), the highest-paid pitcher in the major leagues, was unimpressive in his fifth major league start.
On Tuesday, Yamamoto started a home game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits (one home run) with one walk and nine strikeouts in six innings. He allowed four runs, but only three earned, so he met the criteria for a quality start. This is the first time Yamamoto has recorded a quality start in his major league debut.
However, his pitching still didn't live up to his $325 million price tag.
Yamamoto seemed to be in top form until the first inning ended with a triple play. But in the top of the second inning, he threw a 96.3 mph fastball to D.J. Stewart up the middle, which Stewart crushed for a solo home run over the right-center field fence. Francisco Alvarez's grounder to the catcher was misplayed by Will Smith, allowing Alvarez to advance to second, and two batters later, Harrison Vader singled to score the second run.
Yamamoto's struggles continued in the third inning. After a walk to Brandon Nimmo and a double to Sterling Marte put runners on second and third with no outs, Yamamoto got Francisco Lindor to fly out to shallow center field, but gave up a single to Pete Alonso and a sacrifice fly to Stewart for two more runs. Yamamoto didn't allow another run until the sixth inning, but he didn't settle down, leaving runners on base in the fourth and sixth innings.
Yamamoto, one of Nippon Professional Baseball's top ace, made headlines after last season when he signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, the most ever for a pitcher.
However, he had a shaky start to the second game of the Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul last month, giving up five runs in the first inning. He seemed to stabilize after that, throwing five scoreless innings in two consecutive games, but he failed to impress against San Diego on April 13, giving up three runs in five innings after being hit by two home runs.
However, Yamamoto did not take on the yoke of a losing pitcher. The Dodgers' offense scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before Chris Taylor's RBI double in the sixth tied the game at 4-4, putting Yamamoto in a position to take the loss. However, the Dodgers gave up five runs in the seventh through ninth innings to fall 4-9.