Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominates Yankees in World Series Game 2 after they pursued him in free agency

In an alternate universe, Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be dominating in the World Series for the Yankees, not against them.

The Yankees went hard after the Japanese ace last offseason, offering the touted international free agent a reported 10-year, $300 million contract in hopes of forming an unparalleled one-two punch with Gerrit Cole atop their rotation.

But Yamamoto chose the Los Angeles Dodgers, signing a 12-year, $325 million contract that exceeded Cole’s nine-year pact with the Yankees by $1 million, setting a record for the biggest deal ever given to an MLB pitcher in terms of total value.

And on Saturday night, Yamamoto looked to be worth every penny.

Yamamoto dominated the Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series, holding them to one run on one hit and two walks over 6.1 innings as the Dodgers won, 4-2, in Los Angeles to take a 2-0 series lead.

The 5-10 fireballer used a four-seam fastball he dialed up to 98 mph and a swing-and-miss splitter to strike out four.

Juan Soto’s third-inning solo home run was the only hit against Yamamoto, who retired the final 11 batters he faced. He exited to a standing ovation with one out in the seventh inning and the Dodgers leading, 4-1.

It was the longest outing of the postseason for Yamamoto, who returned to the Dodgers’ rotation on Sept. 10 after missing nearly three months due to a right shoulder injury.

He entered his World Series debut with a 5.11 ERA through three postseason starts, though he had been better in his last two, shutting out the Padres over five innings in NLDS Game 5 and limiting the Mets to two runs in 4.1 innings in NLCS Game 4.

Yamamoto, 26, arrived in the U.S. with sky-high hype, having won three consecutive MVPs, Triple Crowns and Sawamura Awards — Nippon Professional Baseball’s Cy Young equivalent — with the Orix Buffaloes from 2021-23.

The Mets were also among the deep-pocketed bidders for Yamamoto, who met with Yankees manager Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake on Dec. 11 at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.

“It was gorgeous, 72 and sunny,” Blake told the Daily News in June. “Boonie and I were like, ‘If he stays out here any longer, this is going to be a problem.’ It was in jest, but at the same time, somewhat real. ‘Why wouldn’t you want to live out here? This is good living.’”

Yamamoto largely delivered in his first MLB season, going 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 90 innings. The highlight of his regular season came on June 7 in the Bronx, when he shut out the Yankees over seven innings, holding them to two hits while striking out seven.

“I think the experience from June will benefit me a little bit, but this is the World Series, and the lineup might also probably be different from June,” Yamamoto said Friday through an interpreter. “I’m going to just study and get myself ready for the lineup.”

Upon returning from his shoulder injury, the Dodgers limited Yamamoto’s workload. The 86 pitches that Yamamoto threw Saturday were his most since that June gem in the Bronx.

Saturday marked the second day in a row that the Yankees faced a Dodgers pitcher that they recently pursued. Medical concerns about Game 1 starter Jack Flaherty’s back reportedly caused the Yankees to pivot before the trade deadline, and the Dodgers acquired him from the Tigers instead.

Flaherty collected a no-decision in the Dodgers’ 6-3 win in 10 innings after giving up two runs over his 5.1 innings.

On Saturday, Yamamoto was even better.

“I signed with the Dodgers because I really wanted to win,” Yamamoto said Friday. “Especially my first year, I’ve come this far and get to play on this big stage.”