Dodgers veteran Max Muncy raves about Yoshinobu Yamamoto after his Tokyo Series start (Photo Source: IMAGN)

Yoshinobu Yamamoto has all of the makings of a true superstar in Major League Baseball. The 26-year-old from Bizen, Japan was one of the most hyped international pitchers as he became available for MLB clubs. Yamamoto ultimately decided to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a massive 12-year, $325 million deal.

The size of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s lucrative contract only validates the Los Angeles Dodgers’ belief in the young pitcher and his ability to thrive at the Major League level. Well, it’s safe to say that he has been able to prove that he can dominate MLB batters, showing off his skills during the Dodgers’ Game 1 Tokyo Series victory over the Chicago Cubs.

En route to his first victory of the 2025 season, Yamamoto delievered a strong outing for the club. The young pitcher threw 5.0 innings, recording 4 strikeouts and allowing a single earned run in the process. While he will likely pitch longer as the years progresses, the outing was impressive enough that even veteran Max Muncy was thrilled by what he saw from his teammate.

In an interview on Foul Territory with former MLB catcher Erik Kratz, Muncy explained that the Japanese pitcher looked strong. Yamamoto appears ready to help the Dodgers defend their World Series title, while also growing into a more comfortable pitcher in Major League Baseball.

“He was electric tonight. The ball was coming out hot. He was spanning the ball decently, probably not as well as he would have liked to but I thought he was spanning it well. He only had the one mistake but for the most part, he was Yamo,” Muncy explained.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will rely upon Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking another step forward this season as the club already has a few questions surrounding the health of the rotation. Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and Shohei Ohtani are working their way back to the mound. While the team has a number of options, Yamamoto will be relied upon to deliver plenty of quality innings.

“We think he’s going to be better this year and a little more comfortable. We’ve seen that all spring… He’s really going to ball out this year,” Muncy continued.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s off-speed pitches left Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell impressed

Despite the Chicago Cubs dropping their first matchup of the season to the Los Angeles Dodgers, team manager Craig Counsell was impressed by what he saw out of Yamamoto. A former two-time World Series champion as a player, Counsell has certainly seen his fair share of impressive pitchers throughout his career.

Following the loss, Counsell spoke highly of Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s splitter, calling it “outstanding.” It will be interesting to see how opposing teams with adjust to some of Yamamoto’s electric stuff throughout the season, however, it’s clear that the Japanese pitcher is a special talent for Los Angeles.