The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a 16-7 start this season, and despite having 12 pitchers on the injured list, the ones that have been on the mound have been dominant.
Specifically, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been electric to start off his 2025 campaign. In five starts, he has a 0.93 ERA, 38 strikeouts to just seven walks, and a 3-1 record.
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His most recent start led USA Today’s MLB insider Bob Nightengale to rave about the right-hander in his second MLB season.
“Yoshinobu Yamamoto is making his $325 million signing look like a steal. He pitched seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in his last start against the Rangers, and is yielding a .178 batting average with 38 strikeouts in 29 innings.”
Yamamoto signed his mega deal with the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 campaign after seven illustrious seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball and a career ERA of 1.82 in Japan. The 12-year, $325 million deal was the richest deal an MLB pitcher has ever signed, despite not yet throwing a pitch in North America.
Many saw this as a risk — even with his NPB resume — but things seem to already be paying off given last season’s totals and his blistering ERA to start off 2025.
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Yamamoto spoke earlier this month on what might be fueling his dominance via Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times, and it appears that a Cy Young award is what could be driving the 26-year-old.
“I’ve heard no Japanese pitcher has won it yet, so I’m awfully interested in it,” said Yamamoto. “I think that concentrating on each and every game and performing at my best is what will lead to a wonderful award like that, so I’d like to do my best every day.”
These five formidable starts are enough evidence for manager Dave Roberts to believe that Yamamoto is on another level this season.
“I do think that right now,” Roberts said, “he’s the best pitcher in the National League.’’
Yamamoto will continue working to create quality starts and adding to his 2025 resume as he makes a case to become the first Japanese-born Cy Young award winner.
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