Yoshinobu Yamamoto is making a strong case for the National League Cy Young Award, entering a critical phase of the season as a reliable anchor for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His recent performance includes as many wins as fellow contender Jacob Misiorowski, with comparable innings pitched but a higher earned-run average at 2.78 compared to Misiorowski's 1.67.
Despite the ERA difference, Yamamoto remains within striking distance of Misiorowski, a young pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. Manager Dave Roberts has expressed confidence that Yamamoto will ultimately surpass Misiorowski, especially as the latter has experienced recent pitching interruptions due to arm fatigue. Yamamoto, conversely, has remained pain-free and demonstrated a pattern of improving as the season progresses, making him a crucial player for the Dodgers' postseason aspirations.
The Dodgers' rotation has faced significant uncertainty, particularly with Shohei Ohtani's pitching schedule in doubt and catcher Will Smith's season potentially over. In this context, Yamamoto has emerged as a dependable ace. His value was underscored during a recent doubleheader against the Yankees. With Ohtani scratched from his scheduled start and a bullpen game planned for the second contest, Yamamoto was tasked with pitching as many innings as possible in the first game.
He delivered a complete game, an 8–2 victory over the Yankees, pitching nine innings on 102 pitches. This performance marked his first regular-season complete game and drew praise from Roberts, who called him "our ace." Yamamoto, known for his humility, downplayed the significance of the doubleheader, stating he approached it as a normal game. However, he acknowledged the broader implications for the team, particularly with other key postseason pitchers like Ohtani sidelined, Blake Snell on a rehab assignment, and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list.
"By focusing on each and every game, I wouldn’t say I can provide cover [for them], but I think provide the team with something that is ultimately beneficial," Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto's pitch selection included more cutters than usual, contributing to quick outs. He allowed only one hit before the fourth inning, a solo home run. The Yankees' only other run came in the eighth inning, by which time the Dodgers had secured a substantial lead. Roberts noted Yamamoto's efficient pitch count throughout the game, allowing him to complete it with ease.
Roberts suggested Yamamoto was motivated by a previous start where he allowed six runs in six innings. He also referenced Yamamoto's past success at Yankee Stadium, where he pitched seven scoreless innings earlier in the season. "You know he likes these big games," Roberts remarked.
Yamamoto expressed particular satisfaction in sparing the bullpen. "I think pitching nine innings is better than being credited with a win as a pitcher," he said. Although the Dodgers lost the second game of the doubleheader, Yamamoto's outing kept them competitive.
Roberts emphasized the far-reaching impact of such a performance: "It’s one of those things that, in one game, it’s great. But I think that the exponential effect that it has on everyone else, it’s huge, and it’s hard to really nail down how valuable that is."
Yamamoto's history of performing under pressure, as demonstrated in last year's playoffs, suggests he is poised to continue his strong performance through the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs, potentially making history as the first pitcher from Japan to win a Cy Young Award.