"It's an honor for me. And then it's opening day at a Dodger Stadium home game, and that's very [much an] honor to me. I also feel the responsibility. Yamamoto is scheduled to make one more Cactus League start, against the Padres on Friday, before taking the Dodger Stadium mound next Thursday when the Diamondbacks come to town."
"It's hard to put into words. He is just very driven, he's very disciplined in his work. That's some of the things that allows him to compete at a high level. Where most people would feel that you win the World Series MVP, you don't have enough to pitch in the WBC. He wanted to pitch for his country, and now he's really excited about the start of 2026."
"He is a very determined person. He really is. We're just lucky he's on our team. No one needs to be reminded that Yamamoto was a playoff hero last year, but let's really break down his efforts. On Oct. 14, Yamamoto made his third start of the postseason and threw a complete game against the Brewers."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to make the opening day start for the Dodgers' 2026 season at Dodger Stadium against the Diamondbacks, marking the second opening-day start of his MLB career and his first at home. This assignment holds special significance as Yamamoto delivered the final pitch of the Dodgers' 2025 championship run. The pitcher navigated an exceptionally demanding offseason, including a significant postseason workload and a quick turnaround to pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Manager Dave Roberts praised Yamamoto's discipline, drive, and determination, noting that despite winning World Series MVP, he remained committed to representing his country. Roberts emphasized that Yamamoto's work ethic and competitive nature allow him to perform at elite levels.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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