Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Yoshinobu Yamamoto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Yamamoto with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pitcher | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born: Bizen, Okayama, Japan | August 17, 1998|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 June 15, 2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 6-2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 2.92 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPB
Summer Olympics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto | |||||
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Japanese name | |||||
Kanji | 山本 由伸 | ||||
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto (山本 由伸, Yamamoto Yoshinobu, born August 17, 1998) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes. Yamamoto is a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player, Eiji Sawamura Award, and a three-time Triple Crown winner. Yamamoto is the first player in the history of professional baseball to win the Triple Crown in three consecutive years. Following the 2023 NPB season, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers.
Professional career
[edit]Orix Buffaloes
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Bs_Yoshinobu_Yamamoto_2019092202.jpg/170px-Bs_Yoshinobu_Yamamoto_2019092202.jpg)
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. Yamamoto finished the 2021 season with an 18–5 record and 206 strikeouts across 193+2⁄3 innings pitched. His 1.39 earned run average (ERA) led the league for the season.[1] Yamamoto won the Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award following the season.[2]
On June 18, 2022, Yamamoto threw the year's fourth no-hitter and the 97th in NPB, pitching the Buffaloes to a 2–0 win over the Saitama Seibu Lions.[3] 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.[4] 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. In doing so, he became the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons.[5]
Yamamoto pitched in Game 1 of the 2023 Japan Series when he surrendered seven runs en route to 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.[6] On November 5, 2023, on 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.[7] He was officially posted fifteen days later on November 20.[8]
Los Angeles Dodgers
[edit]The Los 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 Yamamoto's previous team, the Buffaloes.[9][10][11]
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.[12] The five runs allowed were the most ever by a Dodgers starter in their major league debut pitching an inning or less.[13] On April 6, against the Chicago Cubs, Yamamoto struck out eight while allowing just three hits in five scoreless innings, retiring the last ten batters he faced to pick up his first major league win.[14]
Yamamoto left his June 15 start after only two innings and was placed on the injured list the next day with a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder[15] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list in July 13.[16]
International career
[edit]Yamamoto has represented the Japan national baseball team in several international competitions including the 2019 exhibition games against Mexico, 2019 WBSC Premier12.[17][18] and the 2020 Summer Olympics where the Japanese baseball team went on to win gold, beating Team USA in the gold-medal game.[19] Yamamoto was also named to the Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team.[20]
In 2023, Yamamoto represented Japan in the 5th World Baseball Classic. He pitched in two games, starting one, in the tournament and allowed two runs in 7+1⁄3 innings[21] His team won the Gold medal in the tournament.[22]
Pitching style
[edit]Yamamoto is a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 176-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher.[23] With a three-quarters delivery,[24] he throws a fastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h),[25] which tops out at 99 mph (159 km/h),[26] a deceptive splitter, a cutter, and a curveball.[24] Scouts said that the splitter is a legitimate out-pitch at the big league level.[24] He also has great command,[27] posting a BB/9 of 2.1 in his NPB career.[28]
References
[edit]- ^ "Yoshinobu Yamamoto Japanese Leagues Statistics & History".
- ^ "Rising stars Munetaka Murakami and Yoshinobu Yamamoto named MVPS of 2021 NPB season". December 15, 2021.
- ^ "BASEBALL | Buffaloes Hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto Tosses No-Hitter Against Lions | JAPAN Forward". June 18, 2022.
- ^ "Orix ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto wins second straight Sawamura Award". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ "Japan's Yamamoto treats MLB execs to no-hitter". ESPN.com. September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
- ^ "Baseball: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Buffaloes send Japan Series to Game 7". Mainichi Daily News. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ "山本由伸投手の「ポスティング」について". オリックス・バファローズ (in Japanese). Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ Polishuk, Mark (November 20, 2023). "Yoshinobu Yamamoto Officially Posted By Orix Buffaloes". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ "Yamamoto's contract with Dodgers includes 2 opt outs, but timing depends on elbow health". Associated Press News. January 2, 2024.
- ^ "It's official: Yamamoto joins Dodgers on 12-year deal". MLB.com.
- ^ Lloyd, Jonathan (December 27, 2023). "Dodgers make it official, announce 12-year contract with pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto". NBC Los Angeles. Associated Press. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^ "Padres vs Dodgers (March 21, 2024". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ "For single games, Playing for LAD, in the regular season, in career No. 1 or less, requiring Innings Pitched <= 1, sorted by descending Runs Allowed". Stathead Baseball. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ "MLB Gameday: Dodgers 4, Cubs 1 Final Score (04/06/2024)". MLB.com. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ Wexler, Sarah (June 16, 2024). "Yamamoto placed on IL with strained rotator cuff". mlb.com. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ "Dodgers Claim Brent Honeywell Jr. Off Waivers From Pirates". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
- ^ "ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019「日本 vs メキシコ」に出場するメンバー28名が決定". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- ^ "「ENEOS 侍ジャパンシリーズ2019」出場選手決定について". 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "Baseball/Softball - United States vs Japan - Gold Medal Game Results". olympics.com. August 7, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "WBSC names MVP and Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team". WBSC. August 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ "2023 WBC Player Pitching Stats". mlb.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ "Japan wins 2023 WBC: Updates, highlights, takeaways and more". ESPN.com. March 21, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ "Yoshinobu Yamamoto Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Baseball Prospectus | | Eyewitness Scouting Report".
- ^ "阪神が山本由伸を"恐れない"ワケ 初戦Ko裏付ける「.265」…12球団最強の驚愕数値". November 4, 2023.
- ^ "【オリックス】山本由伸、自己最速159キロ!球団日本人最速も更新 8回11K両リーグ最多タイ9勝". July 9, 2022.
- ^ "2023 World Baseball Classic: Four international prospects to watch, including NPB MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto". March 3, 2023.
- ^ "Yoshinobu Yamamoto Japanese Leagues Statistics".
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Career statistics – NPB.jp
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Baseball people from Okayama Prefecture
- Baseball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Los Angeles Dodgers players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball players from Japan
- Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Award winners
- Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers
- Olympic baseball players for Japan
- Olympic gold medalists for Japan
- Olympic medalists in baseball
- Orix Buffaloes players
- People from Bizen, Okayama
- 2019 WBSC Premier12 players
- 2023 World Baseball Classic players