In the stillness of a Southern California dawn, an attempted burglary at the Hollywood Hills home of a Dodgers ace took an unexpected turn. It wasn’t because of a high-tech alarm or security personnel, but because of a fierce, four-legged guardian. While the pitcher was away with his team, facing the Cincinnati Reds, three intruders tried to breach the house by jumping a fence and breaking a glass door. But little did they know, the ace’s furry friend wasn’t the one to back off, protecting what matters off the field.
The star, of course, is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was away for a road game when the shocking incident unfolded in the early morning hours of July 30. The timing wasn’t coincidental. These burglars knew the Japanese ace was miles away, believing they’d found the perfect opportunity to strike. But they severely underestimated who was waiting for them inside.
Noel Sanchez, Dodgers social media producer, painted a vivid picture of how the break-in attempt crumbled thanks to an unlikely hero, his dog. “The [suspects] were unable to actually make it into his home, thanks in part due to his dog.” He revealed how law enforcement particularly credited Yamamato’s dog for preventing the burglary. “Loud barking from him when he heard the intruders… is what led them deciding to turn around before further attempting to break in,” he added further. But you know, he wasn’t the only hero. Yamamoto’s staff were also inside the house, and as they heard his dog barking, they switched on the lights and the intruders fled from the scene.
Wow! Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s dog helped stop the attempted burglary on his LA home last week
Japanese friends, does anyone know the name of this dog? I think Mikan is too young to be the one that helped
Great reporting by @noisebynoel @DodgersNation! pic.twitter.com/zy3Wswzo0G
— Hyeseong Kim Muse 김혜성 (@HyeseongKimMuse) August 7, 2025
While the name of the dog remains a mystery, he was spotted having a blast with Shohei Ohtani at spring training in Arizona. There, he also had the company of Ohtani’s dog, Decoy. But the interesting part is, he wasn’t donning Yamamoto’s jersey; instead, he ran around in Ohtani’s number 17 jersey.
OB once shared the tale of how he fell in love with animals, thanks to his mom. “My mother was working at an animal hospital. I’ve loved animals since I was a kid,” he revealed earlier in February. Finally, one afternoon last year, as he was in rehab and his mother came to visit him in Los Angeles, they went to an animal shelter. Instantly, he fell in love with his dog and brought him home.
While Yamamoto was lucky, his teammates, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, weren’t so lucky. They have also been victimized, with their homes reportedly burglarized nearly two years ago. The pattern reveals a disturbing trend targeting professional athletes when they’re most vulnerable–away from home, serving their teams and fans. While many players have hired private security firms to monitor their properties during road trips, Yamamoto’s rescue dog proved that sometimes the most effective security system comes with four paws and unwavering loyalty.
Just like his faithful companion guards his home, Yamamoto’s been guarding home plate with equal intensity this season. The same focus that makes him dominant on the mound extends to choosing the perfect four-legged security team.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Dodgers dominance continues
Speaking of championship performances, this security scare hasn’t slowed down Yamamoto’s electric season one bit. He is putting together the kind of season that makes opposing batters question their career choices. The right-hander is sitting pretty with a 2.51 ERA through 22 starts, and honestly, those numbers tell only half the story.
Here’s where it gets interesting. Yamamoto has struck out 139 batters while walking just 39 through 122 innings. That’s the kind of command that separates good pitchers from elite ones. When you can locate your fastball and make hitters chase your breaking balls, magic happens on the mound. July brought something special for Yamamoto–his first All-Star selection.
Jun 7, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts after giving up a double to New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Remember last year’s postseason struggles? Yamamoto sure does, and he used that painful experience as fuel. After getting rocked in his playoff debut, he bounced back with a vengeance. Game 5 of the NLDS, Game 5 of the NLCS, Game 2 of the World Series–he posted a ridiculous 1.72 ERA across those crucial outings.
That championship run wasn’t just about redemption–it was about proving he belongs on baseball’s biggest stage. Now, with another electric regular season under his belt, Yamamoto is ready to show that last year’s postseason heroics weren’t a fluke. The burglars couldn’t steal his focus, and opposing hitters can’t steal his dominance.
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