New Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto hopes to face Red Sox outfielder in 2024
The Dodgers continued to spend aggressively this offseason signing prized Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million deal this week.
Following his introductory press conference, Yamamoto was asked which hitter he is looking forward to facing in Major League Baseball.
That hitter is Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida.
“If anyone (I’m) looking forward to playing against, it’s Masataka Yoshida of the Red Sox,” Yamamoto said on MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” on Wednesday. “He was an old teammate in Japan. To be able to face him in a real game over here would mean a lot.”
Yoshida is coming off his first season in the big leagues, finishing sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He slashed .289/.338/.445 with 15 home runs in 140 games for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox signed Yoshida last offseason to a five-year, $90 million deal.
Yamamoto and Yoshida were teammates on Team Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Team Japan went on to win the tournament. Shohei Ohtani struck out former Angels teammate Mike Trout to end the tournament in thrilling fashion.
The Red Sox and Dodgers will play a three-game series at Dodger Stadium next season, beginning on July 19. There is a chance that Yamamoto will face Yoshida in one of those three games.
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