Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Tweaked Glove Position to Add Deception With Pitches

Baseball has gotten to watch, in real-time, Yoshinobu Yamamoto making adjustments to his game early in his career. During Dodgers spring training, the broadcast pointed out their ability to see into his glove when he was in the stretch.

From that one spring training game, Yamamoto had a magnifying glass on him, especially with runners on base. He struggled with his command and looked uncomfortable.

Prior to his second start, after getting knocked around in South Korea, he talked about adjustments he was making with the pitching staff. Those adjustments seemed to revolve around the positioning of his glove with runners on base.

Jack Harris of the L.A. Times noted how Yamamoto started holding his hands away from his body against the St. Louis Cardinals. He carried this change forward to his most recent outing against the Cubs as well.

“In his home debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, Yamamoto returned to a more familiar version of his set-glove position — with the mitt still up and away from his body, but angled in a way to keep the ball more concealed — and then picked apart the opposition, allowing only two of 17 batters to reach base safely despite a rain delay.”

Jack Harris of the L.A. Times

Perhaps these changes are what he needed, as he went a combined 10.0 innings against the Cubs and Cardinals without surrendering a run and striking out 13 batters. Notably, he got out of back-to-back innings in which he had loaded the bases against Chicago.

Yamamoto should make his next start sometime during the three-game series against the San Diego Padres at home. It will be his second time facing the Padres this year and he’ll be looking for a much-improved performance.

Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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