| Yoshinobu Yamamoto | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Yamamoto with theLos Angeles Dodgers in 2024 | |
| Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 18 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1998-08-17)August 17, 1998 (age 26) Bizen, Okayama, Japan | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| NPB: August 20, 2017, for the Orix Buffaloes | |
| MLB: March 21, 2024, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| NPB statistics (through 2023 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 70–29 |
| Earned run average | 1.82 |
| Strikeouts | 922 |
| MLB statistics (through March 28, 2025) | |
| Win–loss record | 8–2 |
| Earned run average | 2.97 |
| Strikeouts | 119 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Medals | |
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (山本 由伸,Yamamoto Yoshinobu, born August 17, 1998) is a Japanese professionalbaseballpitcher for theLos Angeles Dodgers ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He previously played inNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for theOrix Buffaloes. In NPB, Yamamoto was a three-timePacific League Most Valuable Player,Eiji Sawamura Award winner, and a three-timeTriple Crown winner, a league record for a pitcher.
Following the 2023 NPB season, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers. In 2024, he won the World Series in his first season with the team.
Yamamoto plays internationally forJapan, winning gold at both the2020 Summer Olympics inTokyo and the2023 World Baseball Classic. He is the first ballplayer in history to have won an Olympic gold medal, the World Baseball Classic, and a World Series ring.[1]
Yamamoto made hisNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) debut on August 20, 2017, three days after his 19th birthday, for theOrix Buffaloes of thePacific League. He pitched in eight games for the Buffaloes farm team in theWestern League and made five starts for the main club, with a 2.35 ERA.[2]
In 2018, he pitched primarily in relief, appearing in 60 games, with a 2.10 ERA.[2] He also was selected to appear in theNippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series[3] and finished second inrookie of the year voting.[4] The following season, he returned to the starting rotation, with a 8–7 record, 1.99 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 21 games.[2] In thepandemic shortened 2020 season, he was 8–4 in 18 appearances with a 2.20 ERA.[2]
Yamamoto finished the 2021 season with an 18–5 record and 206 strikeouts across193+2⁄3innings pitched. His 1.39earned run average (ERA) led the league for the season.[5] Yamamoto won thePacific League Most Valuable Player Award following the season.[6]
On June 18, 2022, Yamamoto threw the fourthno-hitter in NPB that year, in a 2–0 win over theSaitama Seibu Lions.[7] In 26 starts for Orix in 2022, Yamamoto registered a 15–5 record and 1.68 ERA with 205 strikeouts in 193 innings pitched. Following the season, he was named theEiji Sawamura Award winner for the second consecutive season.[8] He also won his second consecutive pitchingTriple Crown.
On September 9, 2023, Yamamoto threw his second NPB career no-hitter, blanking theChiba Lotte Marines. He became the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons.[9]
Yamamoto pitched in Game 1 of the2023 Japan Series when he surrendered seven runs in an 8–0 loss. He followed that up with a Game 6 performance in which he threw 138 pitches for a Japan Series-record 14 strikeouts as the Buffaloes tied the series at three games apiece with a 5–1 win.[10][11] On November 5, the same day as the Buffaloes' Game 7 and series-deciding defeat at the hands of theHanshin Tigers, the Buffaloes announced that Yamamoto would beposted to MLB.[12] He was officially posted fifteen days later on November 20.[13]
TheLos Angeles Dodgers signed Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract on December 27, 2023. The Dodgers also had to pay a $50.625 million posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes.[14][15][16]
Yamamoto made his major league debut on March 21, 2024 against theSan Diego Padres atGocheok Sky Dome inSeoul, South Korea as part of theMLB World Tour. He allowed five runs on four hits and a walk in only one inning of work with two strikeouts, the first of which wasJurickson Profar.[17] The five runs allowed were the most ever by a Dodgers starter in their major league debut pitching an inning or less.[18] On April 6, against theChicago Cubs, Yamamoto picked up his first MLB win. He struck out eight while allowing just three hits in five scoreless innings, retiring the last ten batters he faced.[19]
Yamamoto left his June 15 start after only two innings and was placed on theinjured list the next day with a strainedrotator cuff in his right shoulder[20] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list in July 13.[21] Yamamoto was activated off the injured list on September 10.[22] In 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2024, he was 7–2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts.[23] He made his playoff debut on October 5, in Game 1 of theNational League Division Series, giving up five runs to the Padres in three innings.[24] In his second start of the series, on October 12, he picked up his first postseason win, striking out two and allowed just two hits in five scoreless innings, retiring the last seven batters he faced, as the Dodgers won the series.[25] He then made one start, in Game 4, in theNational League Championship Series, allowing two runs on four hits in4+1⁄3 innings, while striking out eight batters.[26] In Game 2 of the2024 World Series against theNew York Yankees, Yamamoto pitched6+1⁄3 innings, allowing just one run on one hit (a solo home run byJuan Soto).[27]
Yamamoto started for the Dodgers onopening day in 2025 against theChicago Cubs in theMLB Tokyo Series.[28] In the game, he pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits (an RBI double byMiguel Amaya), and struck out four batters to pick up the win.[29]
Yamamoto has representedJapan in international tournaments, including the2019 WBSC Premier12,[30][31] the2020 Summer Olympics, and the2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He pitch five times out of the bullpen in the 2019 Premier12, which Japan won. In the Olympics, Yamamoto pitched in two games, allowing two runs and striking out 18 batters in11+2⁄3 innings as Japan won gold in Tokyo.[32] Yamamoto was named to theAll-Olympic Baseball Team.[33]
Yamamoto pitched in two games, starting one, in the 2023 WBC. He allowed two runs in7+1⁄3 innings.[34] Japan again won gold.[35]
Yamamoto is a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 176-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher.[36] With a three-quarters delivery,[37] he throws afastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h),[38] which tops out at 99 mph (159 km/h),[39] a deceptivesplitter, acutter, and acurveball.[37] Prior to playing in MLB, scouts said that his splitter would be a legitimate out-pitch.[37] He also has greatcommand,[40] allowing 2.1 walks per 9 innings in his NPB career[2] and 2.2 walks per 9 innings in his first MLB season.[23]
Yamamoto was born in Bizen, Okayama, Japan. He was given the first name Yoshinobu, combining Yoshi from his mother's name and Nobu from his father's name.
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