SEOUL: Yoshinobu Yamamoto admitted to nerves as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new big-money pitcher prepares to make his Major League Baseball debut against the San Diego Padres in Seoul on Thursday.

Japan’s Yamamoto joined the Dodgers on a 12-year, $325-million deal in December, just weeks after the club signed his superstar compatriot Shohei Ohtani to an even bigger contract.

Yamamoto arrives in MLB with an impressive reputation, having been named Nippon Professional Baseball’s top pitcher for the past three seasons.

The 25-year-old right-hander will take the mound for Game 2 of the Dodgers’ season-opening series against the Padres in the South Korean capital.

Joe Musgrove will be the Padres’ starting pitcher.

Yamamoto refused to tell reporters which pitches he planned to use and said he would “play my way”.

“Of course I’m excited, but there are also some nerves,” he said Wednesday.

“There are lots of different emotions. First of all I will just focus on winning and play the way I always do.”

The Dodgers and Padres are opening the new season in Seoul in the first MLB regular-season games to be played in South Korea.

Tyler Glasnow is the Dodgers’ starting pitcher for Game 1 on Wednesday while Yu Darvish takes the mound for the Padres.

Yamamoto has struggled in pre-season for the Dodgers but is confident that his game will come together when the real action gets under way.

“My results in the pre-season weren’t good but I was able to check on some things about my game,” he said.

“I have prepared well ahead of the new season.”

Yamamoto was part of the Japan team that won the World Baseball Classic last year, and he also claimed the Japan Series title in 2022 with his former club the Orix Buffaloes.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shrugged off Yamamoto’s indifferent pre-season form and said “once the bell rings, there’s a heightened focus”.

“Getting him built up, keeping him healthy as he opens the season is the biggest win,” he said.

Musgrove is starting his fourth season with the Padres, his hometown team.

He said preparing for the new season in Seoul had been “different” but he is eager to help his team make a strong start to the season.

“The evening schedule has been a little bit difficult, adjusting to get your body used to the time that you typically sleep in,” said the 31-year-old right-hander.

“All that stuff’s been new, but we plan for it.

“They did a really good job of prepping us and giving us the best possible thoughts on how to handle that stuff.”

AFP