Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 25-year-old starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been considering Boston even though the Red Sox were unable to sign him.
After giving his opening press conference, Yamamoto revealed that Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida is the one hitter he would most like to face during his debut Major League season.
Masataka Yoshida of the Red Sox is the opponent I’m most looking forward to facing, Yamamoto stated on MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” on Wednesday. He was a former Japanese teammate. It would mean a lot to be able to play him in a genuine game here.
After slashing.289/.338/.445 with 15 home runs in 140 games for the Red Sox, Yoshida had a strong rookie MLB season, placing sixth in the American League Rookie of the Year vote.
In 2023, Yoshida and Yamamoto contributed to Team Japan’s victory in the World Baseball Classic. It would be exciting to watch these two, two of the most illustrious Japanese players to join the majors in recent memory, battle it out in the box and on the mound.
Yamamoto might get his wish in the first series following the All-Star break, with Boston hosting the second part of the 2024 series in Los Angeles.
For their first visit to Dodger Stadium since the 2018 World Series, the Red Sox will be back from July 19–21, 2024.