Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived in the major leagues last winter with a big contract after being one of the most dominant starting pitchers in the NPB. Expectations were more for the long term with the Dodgers but Yamamoto made an immediate impact, being a key part of the team’s victory this year.
Yamamoto played for the Orix Buffaloes in NPB from 2017 to 2023, winning the Japan Series in 2022. When he won the World Series with the Dodgers he became champion of the two biggest leagues in the world.
In Japan, he was selected for the All-Star Game five times and won the prestigious Eiji Sawamura Award three times. This trophy rewards the best pitcher in the Japanese league.
On the international stage, Yamamoto has already won everything imaginable. In 2019, the right-hander was part of Samurais Japan who won the second edition of the WBSC Premier12. Two years later, he played a key role in Japan’s gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Yamamoto completed his trilogy by winning the World Baseball Classic in 2023 with Japan.
With many years left in his career, Yamamoto only needs to be selected for the MLB All-Star Game and win the Cy Young, MLB equivalent of Eiji Sawamura, to complete one of the lists. the most impressive in modern baseball.
