The Los Angeles Dodgers made headlines this offseason with two blockbuster signings.
First, they secured the services of the two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, inking a historic 10-year, $700 million deal that reverberated throughout the baseball world.
Not long after Ohtani’s arrival, the Dodgers made another significant move by signing Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract, setting the stage for an exciting future of Dodgers baseball.
The official announcement of Yamamoto’s deal on Wednesday featured a unique twist—a brief anime-inspired video that introduced him as the newest star in the Dodgers’ constellation.
Welcome to Los Angeles, Yoshinobu Yamamoto!
ロサンゼルスへようこそ、山本由伸！ pic.twitter.com/nBVUYJpn9V
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) December 27, 2023
Baseball enthusiasts embraced this creative approach to welcoming a new player to the team.
Welcome to Los Angeles, Yoshinobu Yamamoto!
ロサンゼルスへようこそ、山本由伸！ pic.twitter.com/nBVUYJpn9V
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) December 27, 2023
The production/social crew are doing some serious work these days https://t.co/f3V6xvmcZN
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) December 27, 2023
oh this goes crazy but now i want an anime intro for the whole starting lineup https://t.co/7avrw3zLGj
— kriz • SAMURAI DODGERS (@ellezirkpdx) December 27, 2023
Another banger from @Hunter_Kondo! https://t.co/7z1LNqjbm8
— Ross Yoshida (@RYDesignLA) December 27, 2023
The Dodgers’ social team keeps going hard and I love it so. https://t.co/qlRwLZYxyX
— Russell Varner (@rvarner) December 27, 2023
The editing team deserves a raise they've only been putting out heat this offseason https://t.co/5CBb1cz3id
— jp (@jpizzler17) December 27, 2023
While Yamamoto is yet to take the field in a Major League Baseball game, his track record in Japan speaks volumes. He boasts a stellar 70–29 record, a remarkable 1.82 ERA, and a whopping 922 strikeouts across seven seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. As the newest addition to the Dodgers’ roster, Yamamoto’s arrival has generated excitement among fans, who are eagerly anticipating his contribution to the team’s success.