Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18

Yoshinobu Yamamoto…born on Aug. 17, 1998 in Bizen, Okayama, Japan.

2023

Yamamoto helped the Buffaloes win the Nippon Pacific League pennant and led them to the Japan Series Championship after going 16-6 with a 1.21 ERA and 169 strikeouts over 164 innings in 23 games...Named the Nippon Pacific League Most Valuable Player for the third straight season as he won the Japanese Pitching Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA...Won the World Baseball Classic as a member of Team Japan, goings 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 12 strikeouts in two games (one start).

2022

Ended the year with a 15-5 with a 1.68 ERA (36 ER/193.0 IP) and 205 strikeouts in 26 games on his way to win his second Triple Crown.

2021

Finished the year 18-5 with a 1.39 ERA and 206 strikeouts across 193.2 innings pitched…his ERA led the league and helped him towards his first career MVP award and first Triple Crown...Made his international debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, leading team Japan to the Gold Medal as he went 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 18 strikeouts in two games...he was named to the All-Olympic team and helped his team go 5-0 in the tournament and capture its first Summer Games Olympic Gold Medal.

2020

Completed the season with an 8-4 record with a 2.20 ERA (31 ER/126.2 IP) in 18 games with 149 strikeouts against 37 walks.

2019

Wrapped up the season with an 8-7 record with a 1.99 ERA (33 ER/149.0 IP) in 21 games with an 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings rate.

2018

Ended the season 6-2 and one save with a 2.10 ERA (18 ER/77.0 IP) in 60 outings, registering a 0.948 WHIP and 69 strikeouts.

2017

Made his NPB debut on Aug. 20, 2017 for Orix three days after he turned 19...Finished the season 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA (15 ER/57.1 IP) in 13 games (five starts) with 48 strikeouts against nine walks.