Following the 2023 season, Yamamoto was posted to MLB and signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, the largest ever for a pitcher at the time. In his rookie MLB season, he contributed to Los Angeles’ 2024 World Series title over the New York Yankees, becoming the first player in baseball history to win a World Series, an Olympic gold medal, and a World Baseball Classic title. In 2025, Yamamoto was named to his first All-Star team. He then helped the Dodgers win a second consecutive World Series title over the Toronto Blue Jays while claiming the World Series MVP award in the process. Internationally, he has represented Japan in multiple tournaments, earning gold medals at the 2019 WBSC Premier12, the 2020 Summer Olympics, and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Professional career
Orix Buffaloes
Yamamoto with the Orix Buffaloes in 2019
Yamamoto made his Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) debut on August 20, 2017, three days after his 19th birthday, for the Orix Buffaloes of the Pacific League. He pitched in eight games for the Buffaloes farm team in the Western League and made five starts for the main club, with a 2.35 ERA.[1]
In 2018, he pitched primarily in relief, appearing in 60 games, with a 2.10 ERA.[1] He also was selected to appear in the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series[2] and finished second in rookie of the year voting.[3] The following season, he returned to the starting rotation, with a 8–7 record, 1.99 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 21 games.[1] In the pandemic shortened 2020 season, he was 8–4 in 18 appearances with a 2.20 ERA.[1]
On June 18, 2022, Yamamoto threw the fourth no-hitter in NPB that year, in a 2–0 win over the Saitama Seibu Lions.[6] 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 the Eiji Sawamura Award winner for the second consecutive season.[7] He also won his second consecutive pitching Triple Crown.
On September 9, 2023, Yamamoto threw his second NPB career no-hitter, blanking the Chiba Lotte Marines. He became the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons.[8]
Yamamoto pitched in Game 1 of the 2023 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.[9][10] On November 5, the same day as the Buffaloes' Game 7 and series-deciding defeat at the hands of the Hanshin Tigers, the Buffaloes announced that Yamamoto would be posted to MLB.[11] He was officially posted fifteen days later on November 20.[12]
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325million contract on December 27, 2023. The Dodgers also had to pay a $50.625million posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes.[13][14][15]
2024: World Series champion
Yamamoto made his major league debut on March 21, 2024, against the San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea as part of the MLB 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 was Jurickson Profar.[16] The five runs allowed were the most ever by a Dodgers starter in their major league debut pitching an inning or less.[17] On April 6, against the Chicago 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.[18]
On June 15, Yamamoto started against the Kansas City Royals, but left only two innings into the game with a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day.[19] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list in July 13.[20] Yamamoto was activated off the injured list on September 10.[21] In 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2024, he was 7–2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts.[22] He made his playoff debut on October 5, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, giving up five runs to the Padres in three innings.[23] 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.[24] He then made one start, in Game 4, in the National League Championship Series, allowing two runs on four hits in 4+1⁄3 innings, while striking out eight batters.[25] In Game 2 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto pitched 6+1⁄3 innings, allowing just one run, a solo home run by Juan Soto, on one hit.[26] The dodgers won the world series after game 5.
2025: Back-to-back titles, World Series MVP
Yamamoto started for the Dodgers on opening day in 2025 against the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Tokyo Series.[27] In the game, he pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits (an RBI double by Miguel Amaya), and struck out four batters to pick up the win.[28] On April 18, in a win against the Texas Rangers, Yamamoto matched his career high of 10 strikeouts in 7 innings.[29] Yamamoto was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for April, after posting a 1.06 ERA through six starts and struck out 43 batters in 34 innings.[30]
Yamamoto was selected to the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his first all-star appearance in MLB.[31] On September 6, in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, Yamamoto was one out away from throwing a no-hitter when, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jackson Holliday hit a home run for the Orioles and he was removed from the game. He had 10 strikeouts in the game and made it past the seventh inning for the first time in his MLB career.[32] Yamamoto finished the regular season with a 12–8 record in a career high 30 starts, with a 2.49 ERA and struck out 201 batters, his highest total since 2022 in Japan.[22][33]
Yamamoto made his first post-season start of 2025 in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, allowing only two unearned runs in 6+2⁄3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds, while striking out nine.[22] His next start was in the third game of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. He struggled in that game, only striking out two while giving up three runs on six hits in four innings.[34] On October 14, in the 2nd game of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, Yamamoto gave up a first pitch homer to Jackson Chourio before throwing a 111-pitch complete game, his first in the MLB. He was the first pitcher to throw his first complete game in the playoffs since Josh Beckett in 2003. He was also the first Dodgers pitcher to throw a complete game in the playoffs since José Lima in the 2004 NLDS and first since Justin Verlander in the 2017 ALCS for any team. He allowed only one run on three hits while striking out seven in the game.[35]
In Game 2 of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yamamoto again threw a complete game, striking out eight while allowing only one run on four hits. He became the first pitcher to throw multiple complete games in the same postseason since Madison Bumgarner in 2014, the first to do it in back-to-back games since Curt Schilling in 2001 and the first Dodger to do so since Orel Hershiser in 1988.[36] He started again in Game 6, pitching six innings, striking out six, and allowing one run on five hits for his second win of the series.[37] One day later, he came out of the bullpen to pitch 2+2⁄3 scoreless innings to close out the Dodgers' World Series victory in 11 innings. He was named the World Series MVP for his performance, which included three wins, a 1.02 ERA, and 15 strikeouts.[38][39] Yamamoto was the first pitcher to get three road wins in a World Series, the first to be credited with three wins in a World Series since Randy Johnson in 2001, and the fourth pitcher ever to win Games 6 and 7.[40][41] Yamamoto was named a finalist for the 2025 NL Cy Young Award.[42]
International career
Yamamoto has represented Japan in international tournaments, including the 2019 WBSC Premier12,[43][44] the 2020 Summer Olympics, and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He pitched 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 in 11+2⁄3 innings as Japan won gold in Tokyo.[45] Yamamoto was named to the All-Olympic Baseball Team.[46]
Yamamoto pitched in two games, starting one, in the 2023 WBC. He allowed two runs in 7+1⁄3 innings.[47] Japan again won gold.[48]
Pitching style
Yamamoto delivers a pitch for the Orix Buffaloes in 2022
Yamamoto is a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78m), 176-pound (80kg) right-handed pitcher.[49] With a three-quarters delivery,[50] he throws a fastball averaging 95mph (153km/h),[51] which tops out at 99mph (159km/h),[52] a deceptive splitter, a cutter, and a curveball.[50] Prior to playing in MLB, scouts said that his splitter would be a legitimate out-pitch.[50] He also has great command,[53] allowing 2.1 walks per 9 innings in his NPB career[1] and 2.2 walks per 9 innings in his first MLB season.[22]
Personal life
Yamamoto was born in Bizen, Okayama, Japan.[54] His given name, Yoshinobu, combines "Yoshi" from his mother's name and "Nobu" from his father's name.[55]
Major League Development Integration Coach 89 Brandon McDaniel
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