# Yoshinobu Yamamoto

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. In NPB, Yamamoto was a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player, Eiji Sawamura Award, and a three-time Triple Crown winner. He was the second player in professional baseball to ever win the Triple Crown in three consecutive years, after Korean pitcher Sun Dong-yol.
Following the 2023 NPB season, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers. In 2024, he won the World Series in his first season with the team.
Yamamoto plays internationally for Japan, winning gold at both the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He is the first ballplayer in history to have won an Olympic gold medal, the World Baseball Classic, and a World Series ring.

## Professional career
### Orix Buffaloes

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. He pitched in eight games for the Buffaloes farm team in the Western League and made five starts for the main club, with a 2.35 ERA.
In 2018, he pitched primarily in relief, appearing in 60 games, with a 2.10 ERA. He also was selected to appear in the Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series and finished second in rookie of the year voting. The following season, he returned to the starting rotation, with a 8–7 record, 1.99 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 21 games. In the pandemic shortened 2020 season, he was 8–4 in 18 appearances with a 2.20 ERA.
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. Yamamoto won the Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award following the season.
On June 18, 2022, Yamamoto threw the fourth no-hitter in NPB that year, in a 2–0 win over the Saitama Seibu Lions. 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. 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. He became the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons.
Yamamoto pitched in Game 1 of the 2023 Japan Series when he surrendered seven runs in 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. On November 5, 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. He was officially posted fifteen days later on November 20.

### Los Angeles Dodgers

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 the Orix Buffaloes.
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. The five runs allowed were the most ever by a Dodgers starter in their major league debut pitching an inning or less. On April 6, against the Chicago Cubs, Yamamoto picked up his first MLB win. He struck out eight while allowing just three hits in five scoreless innings, retiring the last ten batters he faced.
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 He was transferred to the 60–day injured list in July 13. Yamamoto was activated off the injured list on September 10. In 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2024, he was 7–2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He made his playoff debut on October 5, in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, giving up five runs to the Padres in three innings. In his second start of the series, on October 12, he picked up his first postseason win, striking out two and allowed just two hits in five scoreless innings, retiring the last seven batters he faced, as the Dodgers won the series. He then made one start, in Game 4, in the National League Championship Series, allowing two runs on four hits in 4+1⁄3 innings, while striking out eight batters. In Game 2 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto pitched 6+1⁄3 innings, allowing just one run on one hit (a solo home run by Juan Soto).
Yamamoto started for the Dodgers on opening day in 2025 against the Chicago Cubs in the MLB Tokyo Series. In the game, he pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits (an RBI double by Miguel Amaya), and struck out four batters to pick up the win.

## International career

Yamamoto has represented Japan in international tournaments, including the 2019 WBSC Premier12, the 2020 Summer Olympics, and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He pitch five times out of the bullpen in the 2019 Premier12, which Japan won. In the Olympics, Yamamoto pitched in two games, allowing two runs and striking out 18 batters in 11+2⁄3 innings as Japan won gold in Tokyo. Yamamoto was named to the All-Olympic Baseball Team.
Yamamoto pitched in two games, starting one, in the 2023 WBC. He allowed two runs in 7+1⁄3 innings. Japan again won gold.

## Pitching style

Yamamoto is a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 176-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher. With a three-quarters delivery, he throws a fastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h), which tops out at 99 mph (159 km/h), a deceptive splitter, a cutter, and a curveball. Prior to playing in MLB, scouts said that his splitter would be a legitimate out-pitch. He also has great command, allowing 2.1 walks per 9 innings in his NPB career and 2.2 walks per 9 innings in his first MLB season.

## Personal life

Yamamoto was born in Bizen, Okayama, Japan. He was given the first name Yoshinobu, combining Yoshi from his mother's name and Nobu from his father's name.