Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto had an amazing postseason run and enters the 2026 season with a much bigger reputation than he has ever had.
Yamamoto entered the MLB with high regard from scouts and the international baseball community, which led to him receiving the massive contract he signed with the Dodgers.
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However, as is the case with any international athlete moving stateside, there were questions about how his stuff would translate and whether he could be a true top-of-the-rotation arm.
The answer, through two seasons, is a resounding yes. Yamamoto can not only pitch a ton of innings but also limit runs at an elite level and has an incredibly diverse arsenal.
Feb 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Yamamoto powered the Dodgers to a 2025 World Series title, taking home the series MVP for his efforts.
Now, with two full years under his belt, Yamamoto is aiming for a Cy Young award, but even before the season starts, the righty is getting serious recognition as a starter.
Yamamoto is the “ace”
The Athletic conducted a project called “The 2026 Aces Project,” which ranks the top 50 starters into tiers.
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In the rankings, Yamamoto placed in the “Aces” tier, sitting fourth overall.
“How many pitchers in baseball can do what Yamamoto did during last year’s World Series? How many pitchers, really, in baseball history could do it?” The Athletic wrote.
“In Game 1, Yamamoto authored the first complete game in the Fall Classic in a decade. He pitched another gem in Game 6 and then returned a day later to close out the Blue Jays and etch his name forever into Dodgers lore.
“What separates Yamamoto from his peers is less his stuff than his approach. He shifts shape as the game progresses, so hitters have the experience of facing three or four different versions of the same man. ‘Creative, dominates in a way different than others,’ one executive said.
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“Yamamoto was already perhaps the best pitcher in the history of Nippon Professional Baseball. He would like to add a Cy Young award to a trophy case that already includes a trio of Sawamura Awards and Pacific League MVPs.”
Dodgers fans should be excited to see Yamamoto continue to evolve and adapt, something that all of the best pitchers do and the Japanese ace has mastered.