Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw 42 pitches in a 15-minute long bullpen session Monday at spring training.
As manager Dave Roberts looked on, he couldn’t help but think that Yamamoto looks to be ahead of schedule — and much further along than he was at this point last season.
“Yamamoto is considerably ahead of where he was last year,” Roberts said. “And every time he throws a baseball, he’s getting better. The command, the delivery is just really good. The slider he was throwing today, it just looks like he’s hitting the ground running.”
With Yamamoto expected to be the Dodgers Opening Day starter against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo in just a few weeks, it’s important for him to feel comfortable, healthy and on pace to take the ball on March 18.