MLB hopeful Yoshinobu Yamamoto closes out NPB career with 138 pitch performance

Yoshinobu Yamamoto may be the best pitcher that most baseball fans in North America have not heard of. However, based on indications coming from the Japanese flamethrower himself, that will hopefully not be the case for long.

Yoshinobu, 25, has pitched for NPB's Orix Buffaloes since 2017. During that time, the right-hander has collected a pair of MVP Awards, and three Japanese Triple Crowns. Needless to say, this has caused big-monied MLB clubs to salivate over the idea of inking Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a contract of their own.

On November 4, Yamamoto took to the mound for the Buffaloes against the Hanshine Tigers in Game 6 of the Japan Series - NPB's equivalent of the World Series. With his team down 3-2 and staring down a series defeat, the Buffaloes handed the ball to Yamamoto to attempt to force a Game 7.

"Yoshinobu Yamamoto just pitched a complete game on 138 pitches in his last start before becoming an MLB free agent. He had 14 strikeouts, breaking Yu Darvish's Japan Series record" - Talkin' Baseball

A native of the southern city of Bizen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not disappoint. The ace threw 138 pitches, striking out 14 in a complete game appearance to force a Game 7, helping the Buffaloes win Game 6 5-1. With the young stud likely making the hop to MLB next season, the performance definetly sets the stage for his North American debut.

The New York Yankees have been among the teams showing the highest degree of sustained interest in Yamamoto. In late August, Yankees GM Brian Cashman travelled to Japan to watch Yamamoto pitch.

"(Brian Cashman - front row watching Yoshinobu Yamamoto's no hitter)" - Let's Go Yanks

Last March, Yamamoto was one of the pitchers who helped team Japan win the World Baseball Classic in front of a sold-out crowd in Miami. The 2023 WBC represented the third Gold Medal that Yamamoto has obtained over the course of his young career.

In an offseason where former Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is expected to gain offers of up to $500 million, Yamamoto could be the next best thing. Still, plenty of negotiations and strategizing lie between Yamamoto and his anticipated MLB debut in 2024.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto might be the biggest Japanese pitcher since Ohtani

While comparing anyone to Shohei Ohtani does indeed sound complacent, Yamamoto has shown that he can dominate in the second-best league in the world. While some key differences do exist between the style of play in MLB and NPB, expect Yamamoto to do some big things in North America next year.