MLB analyst believes Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be in Shohei Ohtani's shadow at Dodgers - "He cheated himself by signing with Ohtani"

Yoshinobu Yamamoto made headlines even before his Major League debut. The 25-year-old Japanese star became the highest-valued contract holder for a pitcher after signing a 12-year deal worth $325 million with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will also receive a $50 million signing bonus without any deferral condition.

Yamamoto will start his professional journey in the US playing alongside his Japan national teammate, Shohei Ohtani, on the same side of the dugout.

While many MLB pundits have praised Yamamoto's decision, Rob Parker is not one of them. He shared his thoughts on Fox News Radio by stating:

“I think [Yamamoto] cheated himself by signing with Ohtani. He was a star in his own right in Japan and by all scouting accounts, he's the real deal -- he's unbelievable.”

Parker added:

“And by teaming up with Ohtani, to me, he's knocked his own legendary status down, because he's joining the ultimate guy... I feel like Yamamoto has signed up to be in the shadow of Ohtani."

Although Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the potential to become the face of a major franchise in the MLB, it may not happen while playing for the Dodgers, as long as Shohei Ohtani remains on the team, according to Parker's beliefs.

Shohei Ohtani has recently signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani's main goal is to win the World Series and to do so, he allowed the team to defer almost 97% of his yearly salary to have more money to acquire other talented players during the offseason.

Under the terms of the deal, Ohtani will only receive $2 million annually, while the rest of his deferred salary will be paid out without interest between 2034 and 2043. Experts believe that Ohtani's willingness to defer his salary has helped the Dodgers to acquire Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Reports indicate that the New York Yankees offered Yoshinobu Yamamoto a $300 million deal, but the New York Mets outbid them with a $325 million offer, the same as the Dodgers. it would appear that Ohtani influenced Yamamoto to choose the Dodgers, despite having the chance to make a name on the East Coast.

Los Angeles Dodgers projected lineup in 2024 with Yoshinobu Yamamoto

There haven't been any updates from Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias' camp yet, but with Yoshinobu Yamamoto joining the team, the Dodgers' bullpen is looking stronger. He will be part of the rotation alongside Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Walker Buehler for the upcoming season.

While the Los Angeles Dodgers' defense looks formidable, their offense is even more impressive. With three MVPs - Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani - leading the team, they will be supported by Max Muncy, Chris Taylor, Jason Heyward, and Will Smith.

Despite spending almost $1.145 billion during this offseason, the Dodgers are not finished yet. They are still in the market for more talent to complete their World Series-winning roster.