Last offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the richest contract a pitcher had ever seen in MLB.
The baseball world wasn’t just baffled by the $325 million price tag, but the fact that the right-hander had never professionally thrown a pitch in North America was further reason for calamity among doubters. The pitches Yamamoto had thrown over the course of seven seasons in Japan were more than enough for the Dodgers to ink a deal with the man who would eventually become their Game 2 starter in the World Series.
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Yamamoto’s career ERA in those seven seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball totaled 1.82 with a 70-29 record. Last year, he ended with a 3.00 ERA, which is respectable, but through seven starts this season, Yamamoto has an unbelievable 0.90 mark which is the lowest in MLB.
“I’ve been able to perform at a very high level,” Yamamoto said after his most recent start. “I think it’s really close to my best times in Japan.”
After his last start — a casual six-inning, six-strikeout, one-hit performance — the man catching all but one game this season from Yamamoto in Will Smith spoke on his ace’s brilliance.
“Right now, he’s pitching like the best pitcher in the world,” Smith said.
Manager Dave Roberts also spoke on this evident step Yamamoto has taken in his game.
“I do believe Yamamoto has gotten to who he is, who he was in Japan, and I think he’s a better pitcher [than last year],” Roberts said.
Statistically speaking, Yamamoto is blowing his 2024 numbers out of the water, despite being a pivotal piece on the way to winning a World Series. As for his seven seasons in Japan, the 26-year-old is showing immense promise to get back to the man who has thrown a pair of no-hitters in NPB play.
In fact, his most recent start was hitless through 5.2 innings.
Through 40 innings pitched, the ace has 49 strikeouts to just 13 walks, a 0.925 WHIP, and a .171 batting average when hitters attempt to put his pitches in play. Whether Yamamoto’s stats match or surpass those of his career in Japan or not, it shouldn’t try to take away from the illustrious season he is in the midst of right now.
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Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
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