Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

26-Year-Old PitcherSP
Los Angeles Dodgers
2025 Fantasy Outlook
The Japanese right-hander's MLB career got off to a rocky start as he surrendered five runs in one frame during his debut against the Padres, but he posted a 2.34 ERA in his next 13 starts before landing on the injured list with a rotator cuff strain. Yamamoto returned down the stretch for eight starts between the regular season and playoffs, during which he had a 3.64 ERA to help the Dodgers win the World Series. He had a 105:22 K:BB across 90 innings during the regular season, so the skills of a low-end SP1 are there, he just hasn't shown that he can log SP1-caliber innings yet. He is likely to open 2025 as the Dodgers' ace since Shohei Ohtani's left shoulder surgery will delay his return to the mound, and Yamamoto's strikeout ability and potential for wins will once again make him a hot commodity come draft day. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
From Preseason
$Signed a six-year, $155 million contract with the Dodgers in December of 2023. Contract includes two-year, $58 million player option for 2030 and 2031 seasons. Contract includes four-year, $112 million player option for 2032 through 2035 seasons. Contract includes $10 million team option for 2036 if Yamamoto suffers an elbow injury between the 2024 and 2029 seasons.
Solid in spring opener
PLos Angeles Dodgers
February 20, 2025
Yamamoto pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in a Cactus League contest against the Cubs on Thursday, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out two batters.
ANALYSIS
Though he gave up three singles, Yamamoto avoided allowing any runs to cross the plate and threw 20 of his 27 pitches for strikes. The right-hander was on the mound for the opening of MLB's spring-training slate and could very well pitch in the first game of the regular season, as manager Dave Roberts said last week that he expects Yamamoto to start one of the Dodgers' two games against the Cubs in Tokyo, Japan on March 18-19. Yamamoto impressed in first taste of MLB last season, posting a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 105:22 K:BB over 90 innings across 18 regular-season starts.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
80
Last 10 Games
70
Last 5 Games
71
How many pitches does Yoshinobu Yamamoto generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Yoshinobu Yamamoto generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-27%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-27%
BAA vs LHP
2023
No Stats
2022
No Stats
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .193 179 51 15 31 4 1 2
Since 2022vs Right .263 189 54 7 47 17 1 5
2024vs Left .193 179 51 15 31 4 1 2
2024vs Right .263 189 54 7 47 17 1 5
2023vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-47%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-47%
ERA on Road
2023
No Stats
2022
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 3.88 1.17 46.1 3 1 0 10.7 1.7 1.0
Since 2022Away 2.06 1.05 43.2 4 1 0 10.3 2.7 0.4
2024Home 3.88 1.17 46.1 3 1 0 10.7 1.7 1.0
2024Away 2.06 1.05 43.2 4 1 0 10.3 2.7 0.4
2023Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Yoshinobu Yamamoto compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
4.77
 
K/9
10.5
 
BB/9
2.2
 
HR/9
0.7
 
Fastball
95.5 mph
 
ERA
3.00
 
WHIP
1.11
 
BABIP
.323
 
GB/FB
1.90
 
Left On Base
75.4%
 
Exit Velocity
82.3 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
5.1%
 
Spin Rate
2109 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
24.4%
 
Swinging Strike
12.5%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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2024 Fantasy Outlook
For the third consecutive year, Yamamoto won the Eiji Sawamura Award, Japan's equivalent of the Cy Young. He did it in 2023 on the strength of a 1.16 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 171 innings spanning 24 appearances, including a no-hitter in front of notable MLB executives in September. The Orix Buffaloes posted the right-hander for MLB teams this winter and an unprecedented bidding war ensued, with Yamamoto ultimately signing with the Dodgers for 12 years and $325 million, the largest contract ever for a pitcher. Still just 25 years old, Yamamoto features a mid-90s fastball and three secondary pitches highlighted by the splitter, all helped immensely by exceptional command. There is already considerable hype and that may be boosted slightly by recency bias after Kodai Senga made the transition to the majors look easy last season. Yamamoto could enter SP1 range in drafts come springtime.
More Fantasy News
Expected to pitch in opening series
PLos Angeles Dodgers
February 12, 2025
Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday during an appearance on MLB Network that he expects Yamamoto to start the Dodgers' season opener March 18 versus the Cubs in Japan. "I think it's fair to say that Yamamoto will pitch that first one," Roberts said.
ANALYSIS
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Starting Game 2 of World Series
PLos Angeles Dodgers
October 22, 2024
Yamamoto will start Saturday in Game 2 of the World Series versus the Yankees, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
ANALYSIS
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Named Game 4 starter
PLos Angeles Dodgers
October 15, 2024
Yamamoto will start Thursday in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Mets, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Starting Game 5
PLos Angeles Dodgers
October 10, 2024
Yamamoto has been named the starter for Game 5 of the NLDS against the Padres on Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Now starting Game 1
PLos Angeles Dodgers
October 3, 2024
Yamamoto is starting Game 1 of the NLDS against San Diego on Saturday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Adjusts glove positioning
PLos Angeles Dodgers
April 11, 2024
According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Yamamoto has tweaked his glove positioning when pitching out of the stretch after it was noticed during spring training that he was tipping pitches.
ANALYSIS
The Japanese right-hander struggled to an 8.38 ERA during spring training and was uncomfortable with the glove adjustment he made during his MLB debut March 21 in Korea, when he lasted just one inning and surrendered five runs against San Diego. Yamamoto has since reverted to a more familiar glove position he used back in Japan, and the results speak for themselves in his past two starts with a 13:2 K:BB across 10 scoreless frames. The 25-year-old is sure to endure many more ups-and-downs as he makes the transition to Major League Baseball, but he's already flashed the potential that landed him his six-year, $155 million contract with the Dodgers in December.
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