Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Path to 2026 Fantasy Baseball Ace Status With the Dodgers

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s injury-shortened debut still showcased ace-level skills, making him a potential fantasy bargain as SP4 in 2026 drafts.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game six of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s first season in Major League Baseball was a roller coaster, blending early dominance, a midseason injury scare, and a dominant finish that reminded everyone why the Dodgers invested so heavily in him. As he enters 2026 with a discounted ADP, Yamamoto profiles as one of the most intriguing high-upside aces on the fantasy pitching board.

SP4 – Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (NFBC ADP – 25)

In his first season with Los Angeles, Yamamoto missed almost three months with a triceps issue in his right arm. After a sluggish major league debut (five runs and five baserunners over one inning with two strikeouts), he went 6-1 over his following 12 starts with a 2.41 ERA, 1.014 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts over 71.0 innings.

Unfortunately, Yamamoto left his next game after pitching two shutout innings. The Dodgers eased him back into action in September (six runs and 21 baserunners over 16.0 innings with 21 strikeouts), followed by four appearances in the postseason (2-0 with a 3.86 ERA, 0.964 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts over 18.2 innings).

Last year, Yamamoto had a regression in his command (3.1 walks per nine) while maintaining his strikeout rate (10.4). He allowed the fewest hits per nine innings (5.9) in the National League, with batters hitting .183 against him.

Who would you rather have on the mound as your team’s ace?

Garrett Crochet
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pic.twitter.com/4S2A0Re22k

— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) February 6, 2026

Surprisingly, his arm has much more value on the road (9-4 with a 2.13 ERA, 0.890 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts over 105.2 innings). Yamamoto was the Dodgers’ best arm over his last six starts (2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 0.700 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts over 40.0 innings) and the postseason (5-1 with a 1.45 ERA, 0.777 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 37.1 innings).

His average fastball (95.4 mph) aligned with his first season with Los Angeles. Yamamoto gained his pitching edge with an electric split-finger pitch (.128 BAA with 95 strikeouts), four-seamer (.196 BAA), and curveball (.171 BAA) while mixing in a sinker (.259 BAA), cutter (.244 BAA), and a show-me slider (.115 BAA).

Yoshinobu Yamamoto 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Yamamoto brings a great resume from Japan (66-37 record with a 1.64 ERA, 0.902 WHIP, and 869 strikeouts over 833.0 innings). His finish in 2025 puts him in the ace range, but he had a jump of 121.0 innings from last season. A previous triceps injury could be a hint at a future elbow issue. Pitchers for the Dodgers invite plenty of run support, suggesting 15+ wins with repeated success in ERA and WHIP. I could see him adding some more strikeouts with fewer free passes issued.