Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 25-year-old star pitcher in the Japanese League, has taken the baseball world by storm with his incredible performance this season for the Orix Buffaloes. He boasts an impressive record of 17 wins and 6 losses, a jaw-dropping 1.16 ERA (Earned Run Average), a superb 0.86 WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched), and a whopping 176 strikeouts in 171 innings. As a result, he’s widely regarded as the best pitcher in Japan right now.
Yamamoto’s success is not a one-time thing; he’s been consistently outstanding in the past few years. He has won the Japanese pitching “Triple Crown” for three consecutive seasons and has also earned the Cy Young Award in Japan for the same duration. His remarkable performance even includes a Japanese record of striking out 14 batters in a crucial Game 6 of the World Series, which helped send it to a thrilling Game 7.
There’s a lot of talk about his potential move to Major League Baseball in the United States, and many experts believe he could outshine even famous Japanese pitchers like Masahiro Tanaka. Some experts, like Steve Phillips, predict that Yamamoto could set a new standard for Japanese players coming to the MLB.
"This is going to be the best pitcher that's ever come over from Japan."
– @StevePhillipsGM on Yoshinobu Yamamoto 👀 pic.twitter.com/xW9xc3w2l1
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 6, 2023
As for his potential contract, there’s a lot of buzz about it. Phillips suggests that a team like the New York Mets, known for their willingness to invest in top talent, could be a perfect fit for Yamamoto. The proposed contract is a big one, with eight years and $20 million in base salary, plus a $35 million posting fee. The first year would be particularly lucrative, with a $27.5 million salary and another posting fee.
What makes Yamamoto so appealing, besides his incredible talent, is his young age. At just 25 years old, he has many more years of baseball ahead of him, and he’s not worn out from excessive playing time.
