The Los Angeles Dodgers placed prized rookie pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the 15-day injured list Sunday after announcing he has a torn rotator cuff that will sideline him indefinitely.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the diagnosis After a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals. Los Angeles placed him on the 15-day injured list prior to the game. According to Roberts, the injury is not season-ending, but Yamamoto will miss “some time.”
The Dodgers did not provide an exact timeline for his return. Los Angeles All-Star infielder Mookie Betts also suffered a broken wrist after being hit by a pitch in Sunday’s game. A timeline for his return is also unclear.
Yamamoto left Saturday’s game after pitching two innings in Kansas City’s 7-2 win over the Dodgers. He informed the staff of triceps tightness after the second inning, prompting the decision to remove him from the game.
Yamamoto had thrown 100 or more pitches in each of his previous four starts. He was initially scheduled to face the Texas Rangers on Thursday before being pushed back to Saturday on rest. He left Saturday’s game after 28 pitches. He allowed a hit, a walk and a run scored for the Royals.
One of the most decorated pitchers in Japanese baseball history, Yamamoto posted a 1.82 ERA over seven seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He joined the Dodgers in the offseason at age 25 on a 12-year, $325 million contract, the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history.
Yamamoto made 14 MLB starts with the Dodgers. In 74 innings pitched, Yamamoto has a 2.92 ERA and 1.068 WHIP with 84 strikeouts and 17 walks. The 43-29 Dodgers entered Sunday seven games ahead of the second-place San Diego Padres in the NL West.
Per MLB, Dodgers right-hander Bobby Miller is scheduled to come off the injured list and pitch against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw is set to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga as he returns from offseason shoulder surgery that sidelined him all season.
