Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Dazzles with seven shutout innings
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Yamamoto (3-1) allowed five hits and struck out 10 without walking a batter over seven shutout innings to earn the win Friday over the Rangers.
Yamamoto has rung up 10 strikeouts in two of his five starts so far. He hasn't allowed an earned run over his last three outings, giving up just one unearned run, 10 hits and four walks across 19 innings in that span. For the season, he's been stellar with 0.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 38:7 K:BB over 29 innings. Yamamoto largely lived up to the hype in his MLB debut season last year, and 2025 is shaping up to be even better for the 26-year-old right-hander. His next start is projected to be at home versus the Pirates, which is a favorable matchup.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Fans nine in Friday's win
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Yamamoto (2-1) picked up the win Friday, scattering two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the Cubs. He struck out nine.
The right-hander continued his dominant beginning to 2025, delivering his second straight quality start without allowing an earned run. Yamamoto got stretched out to 103 pitches (64 strikes) in this one, racking up an impressive 33 called or swinging strikes along the way, and so far the Dodgers' plan to limit his workload to one start a week appears to be paying off. Through four outings, Yamamoto sports a 1.23 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 28:7 K:BB, and he'll look to keep rolling when he takes the bump for his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend against the Rangers.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: No run support in tough-luck loss
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Yamamoto (1-1) took the loss after allowing an unearned run on three hits and three walks in six innings Friday against Philadelphia. He struck out five.
Yamamoto contained a loaded Phillies lineup Friday, but he received no run support and was outdueled by Jesus Luzardo's seven shutout frames for the Phillies. Yamamoto allowed a lone extra-base hit on the night, which ultimately led to Trea Turner stealing third base and coming home to score on a Yamamoto throwing error. The star right-hander has now tossed at least five innings and given up two runs or fewer in each of his first three starts this year, and up next is a matchup in Washington next week.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Notches win in Tokyo
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Yamamoto (1-0) earned the win Tuesday against the Cubs in Tokyo after giving up one run on three hits and one walk across five innings. He struck out four.
The 26-year-old induced 11 swinging strikes on just 72 pitches, with the only damage against him coming via an RBI double by Miguel Amaya during the second inning. The shortness of the outing isn't surprising since the Dodgers dealt with an abbreviated spring training, and Yamamoto should be built up to a full workload before long. The right-hander struggled against the Padres during his MLB debut in South Korea nearly a year ago, but he delivered a strong start to 2025 on Tuesday while pitching in his home country of Japan.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Starting Game 1 in Japan
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Yamamoto will start March 18 against the Cubs in the first game of the Tokyo Series, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Yamamoto worked up to five innings in his final Cactus League start Monday, giving up one run on four hits and a walk while striking out seven batters. His strong finish in camp will give him plenty of momentum leading up to his return to his home country, though he will be tasked with facing a formidable lineup in his 2025 debut. Fellow Japanese-born righty Roki Sasaki will take the mound in Game 2.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Works four frames Tuesday
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Yamamoto tossed four innings in a Cactus League contest against Cincinnati on Tuesday, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out three batters.
Yamamoto had tossed four frames over his first two spring starts, and he equaled that total in his outing Tuesday. The right-hander hurled 47 pitches, 30 of which were strikes, and topped out at 96.9 mph on the radar gun. Yamamoto will likely make one more spring start before the Dodgers open the regular season with a two-game set against the Cubs in Tokyo, Japan on March 18-19, and he's expected to start in one of those two games.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Solid in spring opener
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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.
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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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Expected to pitch in opening series
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Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday on MLB Network that he expects Yamamoto to pitch during the Dodgers' March 18-19 series versus the Cubs in Tokyo.
Roberts anticipates Yamamoto's countryman, Roki Sasaki, pitching during the two-game series, as well. Cubs manager Craig Counsell has said previously that Shota Imanaga will get the ball for one of the two contests, and it seems likely that he and Yamamoto will match up in the first game.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Starting Game 2 of World Series
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Yamamoto will start Saturday in Game 2 of the World Series versus the Yankees, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Yamamoto has allowed seven earned runs over just 12.1 innings across his three postseason appearances and will be facing a Yankees offense that has posted a .759 OPS during the team's playoff run. However, the 26-year-old righty found success against The Pinstripes when he faced them in June, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing just two hits and two walks.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Earns seventh win
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Yamamoto (7-2) picked up the win over Colorado on Saturday, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out six.
Yamamoto got knocked around a bit early on, giving up singles to three of the first five men he faced before also surrendering a solo homer to Ezequiel Tovar in the bottom of the third. The right-hander did, however, manage to retire seven consecutive batters from that point on before being relieved by Justin Wrobleski to open the sixth. It marked Yamamoto's longest outing since June 7, while he didn't issue a free pass for the first time in his last three starts. He now carries a 3.38 ERA in September to go along with a robust 21:5 K:BB.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Wild day on mound
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Yamamoto did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Rockies, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four over three innings.
Yamamoto was unusually wild in Sunday's outing, walking three batters for the first time in his MLB career and throwing just his second wild pitch all season. The Rockies nearly batted around the order against him in the first inning, which led to three runs before later adding a fourth in the third. It was the 26-year-old righty's worst outing in three starts since returning from the injured list, and he lines up for a road rematch in Colorado this weekend. Yamamoto now owns a 2.96 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 99:22 K:BB in 85 innings during his rookie season.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Throws four scoreless Monday
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Yamamoto did not factor into the decision in Monday's 9-0 win against Atlanta, allowing four hits and two walks with three strikeouts over four scoreless innings.
Yamamoto generated a solid 10 whiffs on 72 pitches but also threw just 42 strikes. Despite the shaky control, the 26-year-old was able to increase his workload from 59 pitches Tuesday and has not allowed an earned run over eight innings in his two outings since returning from the injured list. On the season, he owns a 2.63 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 95:19 K:BB across 82 innings and lines up for a favorable home matchup with the Rockies this weekend.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Strikes out eight in return
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Yamamoto did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's loss to the Cubs, allowing one run on four hits while striking out eight over four innings. He did not issue a walk.
Yamamoto looked electric in his first start since June 15, striking out eight through three innings and registering an impressive 41 percent CSW rate on 59 pitches. His only troublesome inning was in the second when the Cubs strung together three singles to bring home their only run against him. Yamamoto will likely continue to build up his pitch count as the Dodgers gear up for another playoff run and he has a great matchup ahead of him against the Marlins next week. The 26-year-old now owns a 2.88 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 92:17 K:BB in 78 innings this year.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Works two innings in rehab start
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Yamamoto (triceps) tossed two innings in his rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three batters.
Yamamoto was slated to go three innings in the outing, but his pitch count got up to 53 after two frames, so he didn't return for the third. The elevated pitch count was largely due to a 17-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk against MLB veteran Omar Narvaez. While Yamamoto's final stat line was far from impressive, he did throw 36 of his 53 pitches for strikes and sat at 95-to-96 miles per hour on his fastball, so the overall takeaway was mostly positive. It's not yet clear if the right-hander will be asked to make an additional rehab start or if his next game action will be with the big-league club, though the former is probably more likely given the Dodgers' general preference to be cautious with injuries to their starting pitchers.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Goes two innings in rehab start
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Yamamoto (triceps) allowed one run and struck out two over two innings in his first rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
Yamamoto surrendered a solo home run but nothing else, throwing 31 pitches over his two frames. The righty's velocity was down across the board, although that's not necessarily surprising for his first start in more than two months. The plan is for Yamamoto to make a couple more rehab starts before rejoining the Dodgers' rotation in mid-September.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Yamamoto (triceps) will start a rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
It's the final stage of the rehab progress for the Japanese right-hander, who has been sidelined since mid-June due to triceps tightness. Yamamoto has recently thrown a few simulated games and should be ready to cover at least a couple frames in his first rehab start. The Dodgers are targeting mid-September to bring him back from the injured list.
Yamamoto (triceps) could begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Yamamoto has been eyeing a mid-September return and will advance to a minor-league rehab assignment next week if his next bullpen session goes well. The right-hander has been sidelined since June 15 and is expected to throw three simulated innings in the bullpen session. He'll likely require multiple rehab starts before being activated from the 60-day injured list.
Yamamoto (triceps) threw about 40 pitches during a bullpen session Tuesday and is scheduled to face hitters Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
The right-hander continues to build toward a rehab assignment, and Friday's session could go a long way toward clearing him for game action. Yamamoto will likely require multiple outings in the minors before rejoining the Dodgers, so he shouldn't be expected to be reinstated until at least the end of August.
Yamamoto (triceps) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Saturday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Yamamoto has been sidelined since June 16 with right triceps tightness, and the bullpen session was his first since he was placed on the injured list. Manager Dave Roberts said afterward that he was "excited about (Yamamoto's) command and velocity." Yamamoto has no exact timetable for his return, but if he's able to continue to progress without any setbacks, he could be activated from the 60-day IL in the next month or so.
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Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Lacks clear timeline for return
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Yamamoto (tricep) said Sunday that he's been playing catch out to 200 feet, but he has yet to receive clearance for mound work and admitted that he's without a clear timeline to return from the 60-day injured list, MLB.com reports.
Yamamoto is eligible to come off the IL on Aug. 15, but the Dodgers don't seem to be counting on him returning at that time, with Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com instead suggesting that the team is "holding out hope" for him to resume pitching in the big leagues in late August or early September. The Dodgers will get two key members of the rotation in Tyler Glasnow (back) and Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) back from the IL this week, and the club is seemingly banking on those additions being enough to stabilize the pitching staff until Yamamoto eventually returns to the mix. After signing Yamamoto to a lavish deal this past winter, the Dodgers are cognizant of prioritizing his long-term health and ensuring that he's in optimal health by the time the playoffs begin in October. Yamamoto still appears on pace to return before the end of the regular season, but if absence extends into September, fantasy managers in redraft leagues with limited or no IL spots might not be able to justify holding him.
