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The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Japanese starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the Opening Day starter. Yamamoto, who started on Opening Day in 2025, has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past calendar year and a true workhorse for the defending champions. He pitched multiple times on short rest, including his no-rest heroics in Game 7 that cemented him as a Dodgers legend.
Yamoto has been with Team Japan at the World Baseball Classi c, where he made two starts. He had a bit of a rough outing against Venezuela in the quarterfinals, but overall, he looked sharp. Mar 14, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Japan starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts against Venezuela in the fourth inning during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park.
Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Now, with his time in the WBC over, Yamamoto is joining the Dodgers’ camp once again, where he will ramp up and pitch in another Spring Training game before taking the ball on the ring ceremony day. The Dodgers open up against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a divisional matchup that will see the Cy Young contender face off against Zac Gallen on March 26th at Dodger Stadium. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation) Cy Young goals for Yamamoto Yamamoto has already achieved heights that 99% of pitchers do not, finishing top three in Cy Young voting, along with an All-Star appearance, a World Series win, and the World Series MVP all in one year.
While his resume is already elite, Yamamoto is still missing a Cy Young award, and that is what the righty is aiming for in 2026, according to manager Dave Roberts. “He wants to be great,” Roberts said. “He wants to win a Cy Young.
He hasn’t done that yet, so that’s a carrot. But I think he prides himself on being consistent and being really good. Every time he takes the ball, he expects to win, we expect to win, and then you sort of look back at the season and see where you’re at.