Orix Buffaloes ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is expected to be posted for MLB teams this offseason, won his third consecutive Eiji Sawamura Award, it was announced earlier this week. The Sawamura Award is Japan's equivalent to the Cy Young. Yamamoto has a chance to win this third straight Pacific League MVP as well.
"It wasn't all good," Yamamoto told the Japan Times about his 2023 season. "There were various problem areas as well, but at the end of the season, the team did win the pennant. I didn't have any injury trouble, and I was able to deliver some good performances. I credit my practice regimen for that."
Yamamoto went 17-6 with a 1.16 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 171 innings this season. He has struggled in the postseason, however, allowing 12 runs and 23 baserunners in 12 2/3 innings in two starts. That said, the Buffaloes are the defending champions and are playing in their third straight Japan Series, and Yamamoto has pitched very well in the postseason previously.
Unlike the Cy Young, the Sawamura Award has selection criteria. Historically, a pitcher had to reach the following thresholds to be considered for the award: 25 starts and 10 complete games, 15 wins and a .600 winning percentage, 200 innings, 150 strikeouts, and a 2.50 ERA or lower. Very few pitchers reach all seven thresholds these days, however.
Yamamoto turned only 25 in August and Orix is expected to post him for MLB teams after the season. He is likely to sign the largest contract ever given to a Japanese pitcher, beating out the seven years and $155 million the New York Yankees gave Masahiro Tanaka during the 2013-14 offseason. Here's more on Yamamoto:
Yamamoto receives high marks for his command over a varied arsenal. He throws his mid-90s fastball about half the time, with an upper-80s splitter serving as his main secondary pitch. He'll also work in a mid-70s curveball and a low-90s cutter. Each of those pitches has gone for a strike more than 65% of the time this season, nodding at his above-average geography. Yamamoto's splitter is his best pitch when it comes to generating chases and whiffs. He's listed at just 5-foot-10, but these days that could work to his advantage as teams have warmed up to the vertical approach angle concept.
Yamamoto joined Hall of Famer Masaichi Kaneda as the only pitchers to win three straight Sawamura Awards. He is the No. 2 free agent this offseason behind Shohei Ohtani. In a thin free agent class, Yamamoto should command north of $200 million, and just about every MLB team figures to check in given his age. Some will be more serious about signing him than others.
Once posted, Yamamoto will have 45 days to negotiate a contract with MLB teams. The posting fee owed to Orix is tied to the size of the contract and, for a contract over $50 million, the posting fee is $9.375 million plus 15% of the guarantee over $50 million. A $200 million contract would come with a $31.875 million payment to the Buffaloes.
Yamamoto and Hall of Famer Masaichi Kaneda are the only pitchers to win three consecutive Sawamura Award. Only three others have won three Sawamura Awards in their career. Yamamoto owns a career 1.72 ERA in parts of seven professional seasons.
