Best friends already? Dodgers’ new $1BILLION duo Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto enjoy dinner together days after becoming teammates
- Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto had dinner together on Saturday evening
- The Japanese pair just signed a major contract with the LA Dodgers
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
New Dodgers teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto wasted no time getting together as they sat down for dinner Saturday night.
The Japanese duo signed huge contracts with the Los Angeles team in recent weeks and were clearly in the mood to celebrate.
Ohtani signed the biggest contract in sports earlier this month when he signed a deal worth $700 million over the next decade.
The Dodgers then won the race to sign pitcher Yamamoto over the New York Yankees and Mets, agreeing to a $325 million contract over twelve years.
Since Yamamoto's deal was made, reports have emerged that he chose the Dodgers because he desperately wanted to play with Ohtani.
New Dodgers teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto had dinner Saturday
And now he's already become friends with his new teammate when they went to dinner on Saturday night.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa – the founder of the Nobu restaurant chain – posted a photo of them together, holding up a plate of food at his Matsuhisa restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network said Friday morning that Yamamoto had chosen his American destination to play with Ohtani, the only more sought-after player on the market this winter.
“I was told by a source who knows the Japanese baseball scene very well… Yamamoto just wanted to be a Dodger and play with Ohtani on random,” he said.
Ohtani signed with the Dodgers on December 9, while Yamamoto announced his intention to come to Los Angeles late Thursday night.
The New York Mets reportedly offered the same contract to Yamamoto, while the New York Yankees' offer is believed to have been for a maximum of $300 million.
Yamamoto signed a huge Dodgers contract without ever playing in Major League Baseball
Ohtani attended the Rams vs Saints game in Los Angeles on Thursday evening
Reports earlier this week suggested Ohtani would take his fellow Dodgers new boy to the Los Angeles Rams' NFL game on Thursday night.
But it appeared the pitcher was on the other side of town, signing his 10-year, $325 million contract to join Ohtani on the Dodgers, as it was announced the same night.
It's been a busy few days for Ohtani after he got the VIP treatment at SoFi Stadium.
The Japanese sensation was all smiles as he posed before kickoff wearing a Rams jersey with the number 17 on the back.
Ohtani then watched the Rams beat the New Orleans Saints 30-22 from a suite and was later introduced to head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford in the locker room.