Yoshinobu Yamamoto has strengthened his standing among MLB’s best starters by following his breakout 2025 season with another excellent campaign for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026.

Yamamoto finished behind Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez in the 2025 National League Cy Young Award voting. Skenes won the honor, although Dodgers manager Dave Roberts publicly supported Yamamoto’s candidacy.

Roberts’ position became easier to understand after Yamamoto’s performance during the 2025 postseason, even though Cy Young voting only considers the regular season.

Yamamoto’s continued success in 2026 demonstrated that the previous year was not a fluke.

According to Dodger Blue, Roberts said Yamamoto takes considerable pride in being available for his teammates and knowing he represents their best option.

Roberts also recalled discussing the pitcher with general manager Brandon Gomes and described Yamamoto as one of MLB’s most underappreciated starters.

“He takes pride, and he’ll never say it outwardly, but he takes pride in being there for his teammates and knowing he’s the best option,” Roberts said.

“I was actually talking to Gomer (Brandon Gomes) about him, he’s one of the more underappreciated pitchers in all of baseball.”

Yamamoto has made 58 starts and pitched 358.2 innings during the last two seasons. Those totals represent a considerable change from his injury-shortened rookie campaign, when he made 18 regular-season starts and completed 90 innings.

That immediate correction makes his sustained performance even more impressive.

Roberts values dependable players and considers Yamamoto one of the clearest examples. He believes the right-hander has produced only one or two poor outings this season while consistently working at least six innings.

The manager credited Yamamoto’s preparation, concentration and competitiveness for his reliability. Roberts also believes he elevates his performance when games reach their most demanding moments.

“I think for me, players that you gravitate towards and love to have and can’t have enough of them, are dependable players. Yoshinobu is very dependable,” Roberts explained.

“I think he’s probably had one or two clunkers this year, but everything else outside of that has been six innings-plus. Very consistent and you know what you’re going to get.

“When the moments get big, he certainly rises to those occasions," Roberts added. "It’s all about his preparedness, his focus, compete, all of that.”

Yamamoto will likely fall short of winning the National League Cy Young Award again in 2026, with Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski appearing to be the favorite.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old completed another outstanding season, finishing with final regular season totals nearly identical to those he recorded last year.

Yamamoto did struggle during Wednesday’s 5-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres. He allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) with four strikeouts and a walk in six innings to take the loss.

He also hit a batter and committed a throwing error, contributing to his difficulties.

That appearance marked Yamamoto’s final start of the regular season. He is positioned to start Game 1 of either the National League Wild Card Series or National League Division Series.

The Dodgers’ magic number to secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the National League Division Series is one.

Yamamoto’s preparation and dependability are second-to-none. He gives Los Angeles a pitcher capable of controlling a game without requiring perfect circumstances.

His composure allows him to recover when command temporarily escapes him, while his varied arsenal prevents hitters from settling into one approach.

Yamamoto also embraces responsibility. His consistency, durability and ability to perform under pressure make him the logical choice to open the Dodgers’ postseason rotation.