Who is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the newly acquired star of the LA Dodgers?
The MLB world is on the buzz again as Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto is now joining them. The ace pitcher is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers on a massive 12-year $325 million deal. While the fans have been hearing this name for a while, very few actually know him. So who exactly is he?
Born on 17 August 1998 in Okayama, Japan, Yamamoto is considered one of the best pitchers of this generation. While he is yet to make a mark in Major League Baseball, he has shown that he can compete at the highest level through his performances at the World Baseball Classic. He joined the MLB after being named the MVP of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league.
Being named the MVP of the league requires impressive showing from a player. Yamamoto has done just that since joining the Orix Buffaloes of the NPB. His performances last season saw him claim a third successive MVP award. This made just the third player after Hisashi Yamada and MLB great Ichiro Suzuki to win this massive honor for a third straight year.
Apart from these achievements, Yamamoto has also been a five-time NPB All-Star and three-time NPB Triple Crown winner. In his stay in Japan, he has also thrown two no-hitters, further showcasing his impressive pitching prowess.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s NPB career stats and current contract with the LA Dodgers
The one major thing in sports is the stats. This number usually speaks volumes about the players. While a bad stat line does not mean the player is not good enough for the big leagues, a good stat line can give off signs about what to expect from a player. The stats of Yamamoto have been really good as he has dominated the NPB with the Orix Buffaloes.
The 25-year-old southpaw has an impressive 70-29 win/loss record in Japanese league career. Along with this positive win/loss record, he has a career ERA of 1.82, signaling his command of baseball. The lower the ERA, the better the player, and Yamamoto’s ERA has deservedly earned him the MVP accolade. Apart from this, he has also managed to pick out 922 strikeouts.
Yamamoto was also a part of Japan’s triumph at the World Baseball Classic this year in March. He recently showed his WBC ring, leaving the fans awestruck with the shape of the golden jewelry.
With these impressive stats, Yamamoto had shown the world that he was ready for MLB. He has now agreed to join the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 12-year. $325 million deal. This would see him make around $27 million per year.
This deal though has raised some questions from fans and experts. Having already acquired Shohei Ohtani on a $700 million deal, this development will see the Dodgers spend over $1 billion on two players.
Yamamoto now has the chance to show the world why several teams were battling each other to land his signature, as he becomes part of the Dodgers pitching rotation. He is likely going to be the Dodgers’ number one pitcher along with Tyler Glasnow (joined through trade) as Ohtani is likely not going to pitch next season, giving Yamamoto the stage to perform and try to shine.
In case you missed it:
ncG1vNJzZmiemafAtb%2FPqKmtsl6YvK57zKWZZqaVrMBuw8eoZKKrXa68tLTIp6abrV2urq6tzKirqGc%3D