Yamamoto joined the Dodgers with an extraordinary contract worth approximately 47 billion yen over 12 years.On January 8, the official website of the major leagues released the results of a survey to predict this season’s Rookie of the Year, and the winner was the most popular candidate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (25), who joined the Dodgers from the Orix. In the National League, Yamamoto was the clear winner, far ahead of the second-place finisher (17%).   Will Yamamoto be able to live up to the fans’ expectations? What about Hiroki Matsui (28), who will join the Padres from Rakuten, Shota Imanaga (30, DeNA), who signed with the Cubs, and Naoyuki Uesawa (29, Nippon Ham), whose destination has not been decided as of January 10. Nachi Tomonari, a sports journalist with extensive knowledge of the major leagues, offers his predictions for these four Japanese rookie pitchers (all statements are from Mr. Tomonari). Proper rest can be achieved with a Seven-man rotation   First is Yamamoto, who signed a 12-year, 47 billion yen contract. “Having a high-velocity fastball and a low-splitter is a key condition for success among pitchers in the Major Leagues. Hideo Nomo, Shingo Takatsu, and Masahiro Tanaka, all used these two pitch types effectively and excelled in the United States. Yamamoto is also proficient with these two pitch types, and he is expected to perform well. The Dodgers as a team provide significant advantages for Yamamoto. With strong offensive and defensive capabilities, he can pitch with confidence. While most Major League teams typically prepare around five starting pitchers, the Dodgers incorporate a seven-man rotation each year. This system allows for rest if any starting pitcher accumulates fatigue or experiences a dip in performance. Yamamoto, eager to showcase his skills, may push himself hard from early spring, potentially leading to fatigue around midsummer. However, with the Dodgers, he can receive adequate rest when needed.” Having the accomplished Shohei Ohtani as a teammate is undoubtedly reassuring. How well he will perform specifically is hard to predict. “The Major Leagues are known for being hitter-friendly, and the ERA is likely to be around 3 points (Yamamoto has maintained an ERA in the 1s over the past three years). His ERA would be similar to that of the Mets’ Kodai Senga last season (2.98). Considering the significantly more potent offensive lineup of the Dodgers compared to the Mets, Yamamoto may benefit from solid run support and achieve a record of 17 wins and 5 losses. Leading the league in wins is not an unrealistic dream.”