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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Yoshinobu Yamamoto silenced any lingering doubts about his durability and transition to MLB with a spectacular 2025 campaign. Fully recovered from his 2024 rotator cuff strain, the 27-year-old ace became the anchor of the Dodgers' rotation, posting a 2.49 ERA and an elite 0.99 WHIP across 173.2 innings. He racked up 201 strikeouts (29.4% K-rate) while limiting walks to just 8.6%, showcasing the pinpoint command that made him a legend in Japan. Yamamoto was particularly dominant in the postseason, earning World Series MVP honors after a string of brilliant performances, including a win in Game 7. His ability to pitch deep into games and maintain velocity was a revelation, as he seemingly put his shoulder concerns firmly in the rearview mirror.

Entering 2026, Yamamoto is a consensus top-10 starting pitcher and a legitimate Cy Young contender. The only slight "knock" on his fantasy profile remains the Dodgers' tendency to manage workloads; he likely won't push 200 innings like some old-school workhorses given the team's depth and six-man rotation tendencies. However, the innings he does throw are arguably the most valuable in the league due to his elite ratios and massive win equity on a stacked Dodgers team. Projections peg him for another sub-3.00 ERA season with 170+ strikeouts. Fantasy managers should draft him with confidence as a true SP1 who offers both a high floor and a massive ceiling.