Yoshinobu Yamamoto was born on August 17, 1998, in Bizen, Okayama, Japan. His journey from an aspiring baseball player to being an MLB All-Star is a perfect storyline for a sports biopic. The 27-year-old pitcher entered the MLB (Major League Baseball) after dominating Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). For the uninitiated, Yamamoto started his professional baseball career with the Orix Buffaloes in 2017 and won three consecutive Pacific League MVPs and Eiji Sawamura Awards.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s journey from NPB stardom to MLB All-Star: Dominating Japan’s Orix Buffaloes to joining the Los Angeles Dodgers on a record fee
Over the seven seasons Yoshinobu Yamamoto spent in Japan, he registered a remarkable 70-29 record, 922 strikeouts, and a 1.82 ERA. He had an absolute dominance in NPB with Orix Buffaloes, which he showcased in the 2022 Japan Series championship, when he won the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award. Courtesy of his growing aura in the NPB, Yamamoto caught the attention of the major MLB team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On December 27, 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers broke the bank for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as they signed him to a 12-year contract worth USD 325 million, bringing him to the US from Japan. According to some media reports, the deal included a substantial sum of USD 50.6 million posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes, marking it as the largest contract ever awarded to a pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Yoshinobu Yamamoto shines in MLB 2025: Dodgers’ ace records 201 strikeouts, All-Star nod, and National League Pitcher of the Month award
Fast forward to the MLB 2025 season, and the star Japanese pitcher has posted a 12–8 record with a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts over 30 starts for the Dodgers. Due to his explosive performances on the field, he was named the National League Pitcher of the Month award for September and also earned his first MLB All-Star selection. In just his second season, Yamamoto has established himself as a leader on the field, which positions him as a central figure in the Dodgers’ plans.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s illustrious career, which keeps getting closer to his gigantic potential, is an open book, and every young baseball enthusiast seeks inspiration from it. However, it is his dating life that has been under the rock for many MLB and NPB enthusiasts. Thus, today we are going to shift the spotlight to his dating timeline that features a stunning Hollywood diva and a hot Japanese model. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Did Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto dated Sabrina Carpenter in January 2025? Here’s the truth about MLB star’s dating rumours with Disney’s Girl Meets World star
It was in January 2025, when a certain group on X speculated that Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and popular singer, Sabrina Carpenter, were “quietly going out”. Soon, the rumours were all over the place, and people were linking the MLB star with the singer who made her Hollywood debut with Disney’s show, Girl Meets World. The speculations created such a buzz that the gossip even featured on the Ellen K Morning Show. Ellen K confirmed that she reached out to Sabrina’s representatives, and they’ve denied their client being in a relationship with Yamamoto. In February 2025, Sabrina publicly denied dating the MLB star, effectively ending the relationship once and for all.
Is Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto dating Niki Nawa? Meet the Japanese model who got famous after her work in The Terrace House: Aloha State and Peanut Butter Sandwich
When Yoshinobu Yamamoto was linked to the Espresso singer, Sabrina Carpenter, many people found their dating rumours laughable. The reason behind this is that most people believe Yamamoto is allegedly in a steady relationship with the stunning Japanese model, Niki Nawa. For the uninitiated, Yamamoto and Niki’s dating reports began on November 8, 2024, when they were spotted in Beverly Hills. As per several media reports, they were reportedly shopping and were secretly dating.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Niki Nawa’s dating reports went viral on social media, and even major publications like The New York Post and Sports Illustrated addressed the alleged “It Japanese couple”. Neither the MLB star nor the stunning model has addressed their relationship rumours as of yet, but their fans continue to speculate about them. Regarding Niki Nawa’s early childhood and ethnicity, she was born on October 15, 1996, in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The stunning 5’5″ tall Japanese model began her career in the modelling industry after passing the Tokyo Girls Audition (2014).
