Yoshinobu Yamamoto began the 2025 season as arguably the best pitcher in baseball, and he was the stabilizing force in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation.
Yamamoto posted a 1.06 ERA across 34 innings to begin the season. In May, he had a still solid 3.00 ERA across 30 innings, but things have been a struggle in June.
Yamamoto has thrown 14.1 innings to begin this month, and his ERA over that stretch sits at 5.65. The right-hander has tried to keep a positive mindset in that stretch, and the poor outings are likely to continue.
“When I have a bad outing, I still have some positive things to take away,” Yamamoto said through his interpreter. “And then in a game like this, I just need to focus on learning things and turning it into a positive to get myself ready for the next outing.”
But perhaps the most concerning issue is Yamamoto is now just 12 innings from tying the total he had last season as the Dodgers have increased his workload and he has not been limited by injury like in 2024.
Even though the team is relying on him more now and have been cautious of their ace’s health, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts does not anticipate an innings limit or managing Yamamoto any differently.
“I don’t think so,” Roberts said. “I think that he’s our best pitcher right now. We’re dropping guys in, we’re having bullpen games, so he’s got to take the baseball.
“We’ve got to get to October, so I don’t think there’s any other way to look at it. I think we’ve done a very good job of trying to protect all of our pitchers, and especially Yoshi in the last couple years.
“But the adjustment period has already passed, and he’s got to take the baseball. It’s just there’s no other way to look at it.”
Prior to Yamamoto coming to MLB, he was a workhorse in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) where he threw more than 190 innings in back-to-back seasons from 2021-22 before tossing 164 in his final season there in 2023.
The 26-year-old is also no stranger to throwing more than 140 innings in a season as he did that five straight years from 2019-23.
If Yamamoto’s issues continue, the Dodgers may have to adjust their plans with him, but as one of the best pitchers in the world, it’s more likely he figures out the struggles without needing to change his schedule.
Five days of rest impacting Yoshinobu Yamamoto?
Yamamoto’s struggles also correlate with the Dodgers changing his schedule from six days of rest to five days of rest. Roberts is unsure if that could be part of the issue, but it’s also something Yamamoto was able to handle last year.
“I don’t know. That’s a fair question,” Roberts said. “I know we did it last year, and I think last year, which is our only case point, and he threw well as I recall after that.
“He’ll be on an extra his next time, but I don’t know that answer.”
Yamamoto rejected the idea that rest days are the issue, instead saying he just lacked his command and was unable to make the adjustments necessary in game.
“I personally don’t feel any issues with shorter rest days,” Yamamoto said. “I think I’ve been spending my time wisely those five days.”
He later added: “I don’t think that’s the issue at all.”
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