My tryst with MLB was accidental, but what followed was nothing short of a pursuit of excellence. Having penned over 1,000 articles, I've written about the key figures ES regularly features, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Mike Trout, but Shohei Ohtani is a personal favorite. From New York to Los Angeles, I've covered articles spanning all 50 states that have been recognized as Editor's Picks on multiple occasions. With an exceptional attention to detail and insightful coverage, I'm now an MLB editor. Other than baseball, I also occasionally pick up a bow and arrow and engage in friendly archery games. When not writing about baseball or hitting the bull's eye with my arrows, I love to indulge in my love for literature.?The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid,? by Jane Austen is a personal favorite quote of mine. I also enjoy reading about morally gray characters and talking about them on my bookstagram.

Sonny Gray just became a free agent this offseason after playing as a Minnesota Twins ace for the last two years. According to an MLB [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/mlb/] insider, Gray is all set to play for another American League team. They reportedly drafted him over a prospective rookie. The St. Louis Cardinals have been chasing after Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto since his free agency news came to light [https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-yoshinobu-yamamoto-officially-posted-which-mlb-team-has-maximum-chances-to-land-the-japanese-ace/]. However, things changed just a while ago when it was announced that they had chosen to go with Gray instead of Yamamoto as a new addition to the 2024 pitching lineup. THE CARDINALS’ FUTURE FOR SONNY GRAY NY Post columnist and baseball insider Jon Heyman confirmed Sonny Gray’s Cardinals [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/baseball/mlb-baseball/cardinals/] initiation on X, formerly Twitter, on Nov. 27. Per the insider, the deal is all set to be finalized by the end of the day today. The details of the draft have not been revealed by either the team or the player’s agents. However, The Athletic projected Gray’s prospective contract to be around $75 million for a three-year term. The Cardinals were on the lookout for a minimum of two pitchers after one of their major prospects, Aaron Nola, re-signed with his home team, the Phillies, following a short free-agency stint. Although it is hard to say how long it will be until they get back on the search again, given that Sonny Gray is 34 years of age, it makes it difficult for him to sign a long-term deal. According to the latest update, the deal has already been finalized for three years. And Gray’s bag of tricks justifies it. THE PRICE FOR SONNY GRAY AND HIS PRIZED SKILLSET This season, the three-time All-Star player placed second on the AL Cy Young Awards list. Included in the top ten contenders for the award for the third time since 2015, 2023 was certainly the year he was on fire on the mound. Given his performance of striking out 133 with 156 hits allowed over 184 innings pitched, it can be said that the contract was a perfect fit for the slugger. the New York Yankees [https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-which-team-has-won-the-most-gold-glove-awards-surprisingly-its-not-the-new-york-yankees/] Sonny Gray is all set to play as a solid-depth starting pitcher, adding to the other two sluggers hired to play in a similar position on the team who were signed earlier this month: Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. Let’s see if this brings about a bright 2024 season for the Cardinals and their newest pitcher in the lineup! Watch This Story: Courtside Intrigue as Alex Rodriguez Joins Forces With Timberwolves Amidst Season’s Golden Momentum [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/mlb-news-courtside-intrigue-as-alex-rodriguez-joins-forces-with-timberwolves-amidst-seasons-golden-momentum/] 

Sonny Gray just became a free agent this offseason after playing as a Minnesota Twins ace for the last two years. According to an MLB insider, Gray is all set to play for another American League team. They reportedly drafted him over a prospective rookie. The St. Louis Cardinals have been chasing after Japanese ace&hellip;

Shrabana Sengupta is an Olympic Sports Primary Editor at EssentiallySports. As a
correspondent-turned-editor, Shrabana started her journey at ES as a Major
League Baseball writer and covered two prime MLB events: the 2023 World Series
and the Free Agency that followed. During the 2023 World Series, Shrabana wrote
her perspectives on the Texas Rangers' Corey Seager and his wife, the 27x World
Series Champions' heartbreaking season, and later covered Shohei Ohtani's highly
anticipated record-breaking contract in 2023-24 along with the Yankees'
pre-season resurgence. During the course of her journey as a news correspondent,
Shrabana garnered multiple Editors Picks across her wide coverage. After she
transitioned to the editorial role, Shrabana covered the 2024 Paris Olympic
Games and mentored writers to deliver the best quality content in clutch time. 
When not writing content fuelled by her passion for MLB, Gymnastics, and Track &
Field, Shrabana loves to spend her free time honing her artistic skills.

Shrabana Sengupta

blockquote

script

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Not Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but the Cardinals to Sign Free Agent Ace Sonny Gray:
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1-of-1 “50/50 Club” Card Collection

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<h1 style="text-align: center">Yoshinobu Yamamoto Net Worth 2024: Contract, Earnings, Endorsements and More</h1>
â€œI am truly excited to wear Dodger Blue and canâ€™t wait to play in front of a packed Dodger Stadium,â€ said Japan's best pitcher post locking a <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-la-dodgers-emerge-as-yoshinobu-yamamoto-favorites-overtaking-mets-and-yankees-amidst-intense-three-hundred-million-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.</a> Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 177-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher, who throws a fastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h), is Japan's bestÂ pitching import ever.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2404859 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yamamoto.jpeg" alt="" width="1364" height="1364" />

In December 2023, Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a 12 year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, which made him â€œthe highest-paid pitcher in MLB historyâ€. Before Yoshi enters the realms of MLB as a rookie in 2024, his contract, earnings, family etc. deserve a deep dive.
<h2 style="text-align: center">Yoshinobu Yamamotoâ€™s net worth in 2024: A Look into his earnings for the yearÂ </h2>
The Japanese pitcher played for the Japanâ€™s NPB's Orix Buffaloes for 6 years (2017-2023). With this, the Japanese man accumulated a net worth of $40 Million with aÂ $28 millionÂ average salary for the ongoing year, per the Celebrity Net Worth.

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2358118" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yoshinobu-Yamamoto-QH-560x315.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="315" />

The $5 million base salary plus $50 million signing bonus pro-rated for the season, amounting to $9.17 million, makes up his payroll salary for the year 2024. Moreover, there is no information available regarding the endorsements associated with the pitcher.
<h2 style="text-align: center">From where Yoshinobu Yamamoto hails from: Know about his early life and background</h2>
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was born on August 17, 1998 in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. While baseball enthusiasts have been eager to know about the personal tidbits of â€œthe best pitcher in Japanâ€, Yamamoto has chosen to keep his educational and family background in closed doors.Â 
<h2 style="text-align: center">A star on the mound: A look into the baseball career of Japanese ace</h2>
In 2017, three days after his 19th birthday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut for the Pacific Leagueâ€™s Orix Buffaloes. Yoshi represented his Japan national baseball team in the 2019 exhibition games and the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal against Team USA in the latter. 

[caption id="attachment_2034805" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]<img class="wp-image-2034805 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yoshinobu-Yamamoto.jpg" alt="Yoshinobu Yamamoto" width="1024" height="742" /> Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) throws a pitch against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

Pitching in two games, starting one, in the tournament and allowing two runs in 7+1â„3 innings, Yamamoto represented Japan in the 5th World Baseball Classic, with his team winning the gold medal. Moreover, Yoshinobu Yamamoto wasnâ€™t NPBâ€™s â€œgreat pitcherâ€ but the â€œleague's no-doubt aceâ€ for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023.Â 

From winning Pacific League Most Valuable Player in the 2021 season to becoming the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons, Yoshi reigned supreme over the NPB, leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts each of these three seasons.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2467670 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yamamoto.jpg" alt="" width="1170" height="1490" />

This unprecedented feat earned him three consecutive Eiji Sawamura Awards, Japan's esteemed Cy Young equivalent. While Major League Baseball has only seen three Triple Crown winners, Japan's Yamamoto stands as a singular force, conquering the feat three times in a row! Over seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto dominated as a starter, boasting a phenomenal 1.72 ERA.Â 
<h2 style="text-align: center">A champion of the game: His achievements and accolades in a nutshell</h2>
From being Japanâ€™s best pitcher to many anticipating him to replicate the same to Major Leagues, Yamamotoâ€™s NPB and International achievements and accolades speak for themselves:

NPB
<ul>
 	<li>Two no-hitters (2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Japan Series champion (2022)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Japanese Triple Crown (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Pacific League MVP (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Eiji Sawamura Award (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Best Nine Award (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Pacific League Golden Glove Award (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3Ã— Best Battery Award with Catcher Kenya Wakatsuki (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li>3Ã— Pacific League wins champion (2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Interleague play MVP (2021)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">4Ã— Pacific League strikeout champion (2020â€“2023)</li>
 	<li>4Ã— Pacific League ERA champion (2019, 2021â€“2023)</li>
 	<li>5Ã— NPB All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021â€“2023)</li>
</ul>
International
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team (2021)</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center">His MLB dream fulfilled: How Yoshinobu Yamamoto became pitcher with the biggest MLB contract</h2>
Yamamoto, â€œa WBC champion, Olympic champion and NPB championâ€, signed the eye-popping 12-year, $325 million contract on December 27, 2023, with the Dodgers. The Japanese stars dominated the 2023-24 free agency. While his countryman, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/shohei-ohtani/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shohei Ohtani</a>, signed a 10-year, $700 million contract which is â€œthe richest in North American sports historyâ€, Yoshinobu became â€œthe highest-paid pitcher in MLB historyâ€, joining the long list of the dominant NPB pitchers to jump to the Majors.

[caption id="attachment_2498376" align="aligncenter" width="4960"]<img class="wp-image-2498376 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-12-27T235154Z_1547041216_MT1USATODAY22179765_RTRMADP_3_MLB-LOS-ANGELES-DODGERS-PRESS-CONFERENCE.jpg" alt="Yoshinobu Yamamoto" width="4960" height="3304" /> Dec 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Stan Kasten, President and CEO along with Brandon Gomes, executive Vice President and general Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, look on as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) adjusts his hat during an introductory press conference at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

A day after he signed this hefty contract, reporter Noah Camras posted a tweet, which said â€œwhen he (Yamamoto) was 19 years old he came to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium and Kenta Maeda was pitching.â€ This was the primary reason why the young Yamamoto wanted to play in the major league at some point of his career. 

After he entered the realms of MLB through this massive deal, Yamamoto said, â€œI will stop simply admiring the players that I have looked up to, but strive to become the player that others want to become,â€ in an interview.Â 
<h2 style="text-align: center">Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto single? Know the answer</h2>
According to the most recent information, Yamamoto is single with no indication of <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-is-yoshinobu-yamamoto-in-a-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">past or present relationships</a>. The 2022 Japan Series championâ€™s social media revolves around his baseball exploits, emphasizing his one track mind towards baseball.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2352525 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Perspectives-Yoshinobu-Yamamoto.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" />

As they say, â€˜everyone has a personal lifeâ€™, Yoshi is perhaps choosing to shield this bit of his life from the public eye. This individual's dating life is a guessing game, and marriage seems as mythical as a unicorn for now.

It remains to be seen if <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-exclusive-baseball-expert-jim-callis-picks-japanese-star-over-yoshinobu-yamamoto-predicts-he-will-match-shohei-ohtanis-rare-feat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yoshinobu Yamamoto manages to replicate</a> or go beyond what his compatriot, Shohei Ohtani, has achieved over the years in Major League Baseball.

Know more about Yoshinobu Yamamoto
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Full Name</td>
<td>Yoshinobu Yamamoto</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birth Date</td>
<td>August 17, 1998</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birth Place</td>
<td>Bizen, Okayama, Japan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Height</td>
<td>5-foot-10-inchÂ </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Weight</td>
<td>177Â  lbs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nationality</td>
<td> Japanese</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Net Worth</td>
<td>$40 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Salary</td>
<td>$28 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Current Team</td>
<td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Position</td>
<td>Pitcher</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto Net Worth 2024: Contract, Earnings, Endorsements and More â€œI am truly excited to wear Dodger Blue and canâ€™t wait to play in front of a packed Dodger Stadium,â€ said Japan&#8217;s best pitcher post locking a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 177-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher, who throws a fastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h), is Japan&#8217;s bestÂ pitching import ever. In December 2023, Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a 12 year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, which made him â€œthe highest-paid pitcher in MLB historyâ€. Before Yoshi enters the realms of MLB as a rookie in 2024, his contract, earnings, family etc. deserve a deep dive. Yoshinobu Yamamotoâ€™s net worth in 2024: A Look into his earnings for the yearÂ  The Japanese pitcher played for the Japanâ€™s NPB&#8217;s Orix Buffaloes for 6 years (2017-2023). With this, the Japanese man accumulated a net worth of $40 Million with aÂ $28 millionÂ average salary for the ongoing year, per the Celebrity Net Worth. The $5 million base salary plus $50 million signing bonus pro-rated for the season, amounting to $9.17 million, makes up his payroll salary for the year 2024. Moreover, there is no information available regarding the endorsements associated with the pitcher. From where Yoshinobu Yamamoto hails from: Know about his early life and background Yoshinobu Yamamoto was born on August 17, 1998 in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. While baseball enthusiasts have been eager to know about the personal tidbits of â€œthe best pitcher in Japanâ€, Yamamoto has chosen to keep his educational and family background in closed doors.Â  A star on the mound: A look into the baseball career of Japanese ace In 2017, three days after his 19th birthday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut for the Pacific Leagueâ€™s Orix Buffaloes. Yoshi represented his Japan national baseball team in the 2019 exhibition games and the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal against Team USA in the latter. Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) throws a pitch against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports Pitching in two games, starting one, in the tournament and allowing two runs in 7+1â„3 innings, Yamamoto represented Japan in the 5th World Baseball Classic, with his team winning the gold medal. Moreover, Yoshinobu Yamamoto wasnâ€™t NPBâ€™s â€œgreat pitcherâ€ but the â€œleague&#8217;s no-doubt aceâ€ for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023.Â  From winning Pacific League Most Valuable Player in the 2021 season to becoming the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons, Yoshi reigned supreme over the NPB, leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts each of these three seasons. This unprecedented feat earned him three consecutive Eiji Sawamura Awards, Japan&#8217;s esteemed Cy Young equivalent. While Major League Baseball has only seen three Triple Crown winners, Japan&#8217;s Yamamoto stands as a singular force, conquering the feat three times in a row! Over seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto dominated as a starter, boasting a phenomenal 1.72 ERA.Â  A champion of the game: His achievements and accolades in a nutshell From being Japanâ€™s best pitcher to many anticipating him to replicate the same to Major Leagues, Yamamotoâ€™s NPB and International achievements and accolades speak for themselves: NPB Two no-hitters (2023) Japan Series champion (2022) 3Ã— Japanese Triple Crown (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Pacific League MVP (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Eiji Sawamura Award (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Best Nine Award (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Pacific League Golden Glove Award (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Best Battery Award with Catcher Kenya Wakatsuki (2021â€“2023) 3Ã— Pacific League wins champion (2021â€“2023) Interleague play MVP (2021) 4Ã— Pacific League strikeout champion (2020â€“2023) 4Ã— Pacific League ERA champion (2019, 2021â€“2023) 5Ã— NPB All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021â€“2023) International Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team (2021) His MLB dream fulfilled: How Yoshinobu Yamamoto became pitcher with the biggest MLB contract Yamamoto, â€œa WBC champion, Olympic champion and NPB championâ€, signed the eye-popping 12-year, $325 million contract on December 27, 2023, with the Dodgers. The Japanese stars dominated the 2023-24 free agency. While his countryman, Shohei Ohtani, signed a 10-year, $700 million contract which is â€œthe richest in North American sports historyâ€, Yoshinobu became â€œthe highest-paid pitcher in MLB historyâ€, joining the long list of the dominant NPB pitchers to jump to the Majors. Dec 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Stan Kasten, President and CEO along with Brandon Gomes, executive Vice President and general Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, look on as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) adjusts his hat during an introductory press conference at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports A day after he signed this hefty contract, reporter Noah Camras posted a tweet, which said â€œwhen he (Yamamoto) was 19 years old he came to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium and Kenta Maeda was pitching.â€ This was the primary reason why the young Yamamoto wanted to play in the major league at some point of his career. After he entered the realms of MLB through this massive deal, Yamamoto said, â€œI will stop simply admiring the players that I have looked up to, but strive to become the player that others want to become,â€ in an interview.Â  Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto single? Know the answer According to the most recent information, Yamamoto is single with no indication of past or present relationships. The 2022 Japan Series championâ€™s social media revolves around his baseball exploits, emphasizing his one track mind towards baseball. As they say, â€˜everyone has a personal lifeâ€™, Yoshi is perhaps choosing to shield this bit of his life from the public eye. This individual&#8217;s dating life is a guessing game, and marriage seems as mythical as a unicorn for now. It remains to be seen if Yoshinobu Yamamoto manages to replicate or go beyond what his compatriot, Shohei Ohtani, has achieved over the years in Major League Baseball. Know more about Yoshinobu Yamamoto  Full Name Yoshinobu Yamamoto  Birth Date August 17, 1998  Birth Place Bizen, Okayama, Japan  Height 5-foot-10-inchÂ   Weight 177Â  lbs  Nationality Japanese  Net Worth $40 million  Salary $28 million  Current Team Los Angeles Dodgers  Position Pitcher

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