Meet Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history: the Los Angeles Dodgers’ newest recruit got his start in Nippon Professional Baseball like teammate Shohei Ohtani – and loves to fish
- With the ink still wet on a US$700 million contract with Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto – whose fastball averages 153km/h – for US$325 million for 12 years
- A keen angler and potter in his spare time, Yamamoto became a Nike ambassador after transferring to the Dodgers from the Osaka-based Orix Buffaloes, where he spent the first six years of his career
Despite his height of just 178cm – falling close to 10cm short of the average pitcher height in Major League Baseball (MLB) – he is currently regarded as one of the game’s most powerful pitchers, throwing a fastball averaging 153km/h. And there’s no doubt the Dodgers value his talents – Yamamoto’s contract makes the Japanese player the highest-paid pitcher in league history.
With the buzz surrounding Ohtani’s talent, only time will tell if Yamamoto will bring similar hype, excitement and revenue to the MLB. If the league’s popularity in Japan and the so-called “Sho-time” craze is any indication, Yamamoto’s foray into the American league could further shine a global spotlight on Japanese baseball players.
Like Ohtani, Yamamoto found success in Nippon Professional Baseball – the highest level of baseball in Japan – before catching the attention of the American league. His professional career began in the 2017 season with the Osaka-based Orix Buffaloes, where he remained until he transferred to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
