Commentary: Yoshinobu Yamamoto might not wear a cape, but he has super powers
PHOENIX — Wait, what? It’s me every time I see a list of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball that doesn’t include the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the top three — or not until No. 7, as MLB Network did.
It’s hard to believe that there are professional ball spotters who want to We to believe there are a handful of pitchers better than the Dodgers right-hander who regularly fills the fingers of his hand with championship rings.
Respectfully, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies and Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves are great. The same goes for Christopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox.
But they are no bigger than Yamamoto.
I’m not saying that the criminal underestimation of someone like Yamamoto should be prosecuted, I’m just wondering why anyone would do it?
“It might have something to do with him not throwing 100 like some other guys,” Dodgers pitcher Ben Casparius said. “But just in terms of pure pitching and what he’s able to do and where he’s able to locate certain pitches and how he’s able to read hitters?”
Elite.
“In our eyes, I would definitely say Yamamoto is very underrated,” wide receiver Dalton Rushing said. “I think what goes into your role as a player is your will to win, whatever you do to win. I don’t need to go back to the World Series and bring up anything, everyone watched those games, everyone saw what he did.”
Maybe it was a power outage for some people during the World Series? Or a subtle form of protest against the Dodgers, champions of capitalism? Maybe Yamamoto’s modest behavior is just that GOOD?
We’ve all marveled at the rapid change of Shohei Ohtani’s Superman, how he will go from dynamite thrower to fearsome hitter in a matter of blinks. But the truly superheroic character on the Dodgers roster is their 5-foot-10, 176-pound ace, Yamamoto.
His Clark Kent-like transformation from an unimposing nice guy — “the nicest guy in the whole world,” Casparius said — to a smiling menace whenever the day needs saving is the stuff of comic book legend.
In last season’s World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays that went the distance and beyond, Yamamoto won MVP and three of the Dodgers’ four victories.
He had a 1.02 ERA. The Dodgers managed nine innings of one-run baseball in Game 2. They avoided elimination in Game 6, allowing just one run in six innings. And sealed the deal in Game 7 when he pitched 2 ⅔ scoreless innings of relief in the Dodgers’ 5-4, 11-inning victory.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is all smiles as he is hugged by a teammate following the Game 7 victory over the Blue Jays in the World Series.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Oh, and of course, Yamamoto was warming up in the bullpen when Freddie Freeman hit his home run to end the epic 18-inning Game 3 romp at Dodger Stadium.
And Yamamoto showed up for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He pitched 2 ⅔ scoreless innings in one pool start and was scheduled to do so again against Venezuela on Saturday night in Japan’s first knockout game.
“Being a great player and a great competitor in big moments comes from preparation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And when you prepare in the right way, it eliminates a lot of doubts and fears. And that, to me, is the essence of Yoshinobu.”
Hyper-competitive and exceptionally agile, Yamamoto is also super strong, physically and mentally.
Bruce Wayne had Alfred Pennyworth; Yamamoto has Yada Sensei, personal trainer Osamu Yada, a Japanese judotherapist in his sixties whose unique training program helped transform his star student into a world champion.
So even though Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers are the kings of baseball, if you had to pick one arm to decide the fate of the universe, whose arm would it be?
Take inspiration from Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s anthem.
“He’s probably the best pitcher I’ve ever seen live,” Casparius said. “He’s definitely the guy I’ll face in a must-win match.”
Pitcher River Ryan said, “Yoshi, he’s just a natural athlete” with an “incredible routine to watch.”
And it’s not just the pitcher’s willingness to fight for his team and his country, all the indicators also speak in his favor.
Last season, Yamamoto had the fourth-best ERA in the major leagues (2.49) and allowed two runs or fewer in 20 of his 30 starts. He was also tied for first in barrel rate (5.7%), fifth in strikeout rate (29.4%) and seventh in FIP (2.94).
Pick a category, and it paints the picture almost as well as Yamamoto does the corners.
I’m not asking people to respect Yamamoto’s name, I’m asking them to put mad respect on that.
“I would say yeah, I don’t think he’s fully appreciated for what he’s done,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “Not yet. He will.”
Eventually, even the people around Clark Kent have to understand: this guy may not walk around like he’s a superhero, but he is one.
