Dodgers Keeping Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Weekly Schedule — For Now.
Entering his first season in Major League Baseball, Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced the question of how often he would pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Starting pitchers in Japan throw once a week. Starting pitchers in MLB historically throw every fifth game.
The questions of when, how, and even if Yamamoto can adapt to a traditional major league schedule came with large stakes. The Dodgers signed Yamamoto in December to a 12-year, $325 million contract. While the Dodgers want to maximize the contract’s value, they must also thread the needle of keeping their new star pitcher healthy, productive, and comfortable in his new surroundings.
So far, the Dodgers have been able to sidestep every question. Yamamoto’s first start came in Seoul on March 21. The Dodgers didn’t play a game that counted for another seven days, allowing Yamamoto to make his next start on eight days’ rest. Because he switched rotation spots with Bobby Miller after the Seoul Series, Yamamoto’s next start lines up for Saturday in Chicago — exactly one week after his last outing.
How much longer can the Dodgers keep this up? Manager Dave Roberts addressed their rotation plans Wednesday:
