Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a professional baseball pitcher who has had a significant impact in both American and Japanese baseball leagues. He began his career in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he played from 2017 to 2023. During these years, Yamamoto won three consecutive Pacific League Most Valuable Player Awards from 2021 to 2023, and the Eiji Sawamura Award, given to the best pitcher, three times from 2021 to 2023. His successful streak in the NPB also saw him achieving three Triple Crowns from 2021 to 2023, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average each season.

After being posted by the Orix Buffaloes in 2023, Yamamoto transitioned to Major League Baseball (MLB) where he signed a 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the largest ever for a pitcher at that time. His debut season with the Dodgers proved successful, as they won the World Series in 2024 and 2025, with Yamamoto being named the World Series MVP in 2025. He was also named the National League Pitcher of the Month for April 2025, and was selected for the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Aside from his club accomplishments, Yamamoto's international representation is also noteworthy. He was a part of the Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team, winning a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Additionally, he was a member of the winning team at the 2019 WBSC Premier12 and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. His pitching style, which includes a fastball that averages 95 mph and tops out at 99 mph, along with a splitter, cutter, and curveball, has made him a formidable force on the baseball field.