Should We Be Worried? 

who’s here after his start against the padres😬

If he's struggling right now, good. He'll learn from mistakes and improve as time goes on.

It's spring. I never worry about spring stats. Historically they've been proven to be useless in determining success in the regular season, either pitching or hitting.

Japan uses a slightly different ball from the MLB. It is probably why Trevor Bauer started off slow but then became one of the top 3 pitchers in Japan last year once he had adjusted to the ball differences.

Great analysis--fair and focused. You deserve a million subs.

He’s still young, the ball size is much different than what’s used un japan and the wbc. He might just be overwhelmed by the massive contract snd thinks he has high expectations when he should just go with the flow. Give him some time to get used to these and he’ll get up there with the cy youngs in a year’s time

If he doesn't keep the ball down ~problems.

I was sitting behind the plate at the start v. the Mariners. Not at all worried as a Dodger fan. Lots of change happening in this kids life, professionally and personally. The ball and the mound are very different than Japan, these are major adjustments for a pitcher. Most high school pitchers can tell you if a mound is even slightly out of spec the second they stand on it.

Shohei's 2018 Spring Training ERA was 27.00, and his 2021 Spring Training ERA was 12.19. Calm the F Down everyone.

No team should ever give multi million contacts based on hype alone.

He just started his first regular season game and got knocked out after 1 inning and 5 earned runs. The pitching was horrible all around on both sides though.

Great video my man. As a Dodgers fan, it was disappointing seeing our “325 million dollar Ace” go out there and get somewhat tossed around, but it was understandable why. Not only was he adjusting to the different feels from MLB compared to the NPB, but he was also tweaking some things mid game in terms of pitching from the stretch. His strikeout numbers were elite which is obviously a good sign, and his breaking balls were some of the nastiest Ive ever seen. With all that being said I do think there’s a chance he starts off slow, but once he truly figures out the competition and pace of the MLB, the league is definitely in trouble. Again thank you for the video. Can’t wait to see this channel blow up

Of that soft contact, at least three, maybe four, should have been outs if not batted to Gavin Lux, who has had a ridiculous case of the yips (optimistically). That's not only extra outs, but tons more pitches and pitching with pressure. Probably not a bad thing to practice in Spring Training, but it definitely skews his numbers.

i can see why he doesnt lift weights, excess muscle doesnt necessarily equate to better pitching. since pitching focuses more on the flexibility of your arm muscles which in turns gives more precise control over your pitch.

Ay I was your 800th sub, congratulations bro keep it up, take down iTalk baseball!!!

still adjusting to a new ball shape, it's a long term deal, let's give him some time

how do u feel about his 45.0era today

Year one he is going to get LIT UP and will have trouble adjusting because unlike Senga, he has never had to adjust before or overcome a challenge like this. BUT over course of contract he is definitely going to be worth it as he'll get better and better as years go by. Wish he was on the Mets.

Are you saying if he start pumping those muscles in he can throw at 120+?

He’ll be fine. Or he won’t. Overhyping players is customary but it usually ends up being just that….Hype. He’ll be fine once he gets adjusted.

Yankees fan here, “we” are not worried. I’m pretty satisfied with this. Yes I’m a hater and yes I’m salty he didn’t signed after all that. Not getting my hopes up that his struggles keep up, but I’ll take it if his season is a stinker.

I only get worried when velo is way down or they can’t finish the 3 in they’re scheduled for

I admit he had been underwhelming and hit hard by even minor leaguers, but it's still too early. He definitely needs to keep the fastball out of the middle to belt high as that is where he is being lit up mostly with location. He has time to work it all out.

No need to be worried. When the Japanese pitchers are in Spring training they don't use their split finger fastballs, fork balls, etc. very much. Also Yamamoto is getting used to the bigger baseball which is less sticky. He will be fine in the regular season.

He will be fine even if he struggles early

If he's that bad at the All-Star break, it's time to worry. Otherwise like everything about spring training, take it with a grain of salt unless it's an injury.

Remember when Shohei was being clowned after his first Spring Training? Now he's one of the greatest players in the history of the sport

for every ohtani, there’s a DiceK, irabu, etc. Time will tell if this latest japanese pitcher will be able to adapt to throwing a different ball and facing the best hitters in the world. If he can’t adjust, then $330M in the garbage.

Tj coming soon, he already has high mileage on his arm plus he will be asked to go against other number ones or two level pitchers. Being an ace in a league against all mid or back end level guys at best makes him pan to be a regular dude w/ interest over seas growing. Also I’m a padres fan so there’s that hahaha

I didn't know the ball in Japan was smaller 'n ours. That will require adjustment.

As a Phillies fan, unfortunately he'll be fine LOL

I really dont like oaying attention to spring training stats because of palyers are woking on things, getting in shape, building up for a 162 game season as most dont really go 100%, but having said that regardless of his amazimg stuff and potential this is the MLB these are pro hitters and can make an elite pitcher or an ace look silly. Its a new country for him, culture, language, food etc as well facing someof the best hitters on the planet. He has to adjust and he still is a rookie lets not forget first full mlb season. Just because you jave amazing stuff and throwing gas hitting 97-100, 102 woth the heaterr doesnt mean success especially in the MLB. Perfect example.of that is D Cease, an era over 4.5 got rocked, Strider got rocked last year woth his era at 3.8 H greene eith the reds amazimg stuff but gets rocked as well. Just a few examples that MLB hitters can rock you regardless of stuff.

I wasn’t impressed with anything major in his spring training debut. The announcers were raving about his performance, but I couldn’t see it. Supposedly the bottom drops out of one of his pitches, but it just looks like he spikes it. I guess if you can’t figure out how to replace a manager then just keep spending millions on players till your team is so stacked that the manager can’t possibly mess it up.

Yes.

The mariners teed off on him Soft contact? Dodger fan or family member obviously. His fastball is straight as a string with no movement, no run and not 100.

Who where the scouts

Eliminated in 1st inning vs Padres in Korea.... Welcome to MLB where things are different 😂😂😂😂

One month in people will have completely forgotten this dudes Spring stats. He’ll be just fine. His command is far to solid with far too many weapons. Guys going to kill. wish my Cubs would’ve got him.

Not worried at all!

I feel like his credentials from the Japanese league has earned him some benefit of the doubt. Whatever problem he's facing should be surmountable given his talent.

We?, he / them in any case!

Come on, the season has not even started. At the very least give him half a season before judgement starts rolling in.

As funny as it'd be if the guy turns into a bust after all the ridiculous hype, I wouldn't count him out yet. Remember this is spring training, a lot of players starts off slow there.

No we should not be worried.

Idk after today

Don't be worried , you have a decade to figure it out

Kei Higawa?

Zero worries…..zero.

I still believe in Yamamoto, way too early to tell

He could be a ballerina, it ends in a vowel! May be considered fr, vice president, as well! He has options, the dodgers do not!

If he flops, he's going to ruin it for all Japanese pitchers like Sasaki

his ERA is 0.0

The fact that y'all expecting Yamamoto to come over to America and pitch like a Gerrit Cole/Corbin Burnes in his MLB regular season debut (3rd start overall) is WILD 😂🤡 I'll be back mid season saying I told you so as you sit there with all that egg on your face cursing the baseball Gods

Shohei is a unicorn but it doesn’t mean that all players from Japan are as good as he is. The WBC was rigged in favor of Japan they faced teams like Czech Republic and Australia while the US and Mexico went up against Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela that’s totally one sided.

Gottemmmmm

You think Soto will get the HR title? What are you? An amateur baseball fan?😂

He likes to dominate the zone. That was always going to be a problem at this level. He'll figure it out. But he's never faced batters like these.

I know in real life how much you are paid is nothing to do with your merit. It is demoralizing that someone who has never pitched in MLB is getting the highest pay ever while no one dares to sign Cy Young winner. That happens the same off season.

Yup here it goes 5.30era by may

You gotta love it when billionaires got swindled.

gotta love all the bot accounts coming out of the woodwork to 'neg' yamamoto! lol

It doesn’t look good at all for him, he desperately needs a good start otherwise his confidence will drop even lower.

If i paid a dude 325 mil and he struggled that badly against minor leaguers id be extremely worried, this is hilarious fuck the dodgers buying championships anyways.

Not worth it

Saying yoshinobo Yamamoto got unlucky for 3 games is the worst excuse ever 😂 just admit he’s struggling

dodger fans should always be worried. there's alot of talent and alot of money tied up on that team that has a hard time getting out of the 1st round. be worried

All that money, not a single pitch in the majors.... pathetic

I think he gonna be a bust as the season goes on he’s just gonna keep getting worse

Yes be worried because the Fraudgers gonna choke again 😅

Idk...i hear what some of you are saying to excuse it...but as a mets fan i can say...senga was NOT looking like this and went out got 200k's,rookie of the year votes and cy young votes!!! Dude looks scared...and him being scared is why i think he signed with the dodgers and didnt come to the east coast!!! I can already hear the excuses when he struggles

I really hope this becomes the worst contract ever (I am a Michelin star hater)

The dodgers are trash can't wait till they fail again this yr. Let's go go Houston

hes the biggest burs in MLB history hes straigh out trash sure he KO a lot of minor leuges japanes dudes but agains semi descent AAA or MLB hes strogling a lot

😂 dude forever lives in shoheis 6 foot, 3 inch shadow. hes mediocre at best.

he sucks

No. Now is the time to work out the kinks. Better now than in the postseason like some other dodgers (saying this as a dodger fan)

Dodgers aren’t gonna win anything. 😂 1 billion for two players. Stupid

He's going to get smoked by the Padres. LOL.