The Los Angeles Dodgers won the first game of their weekend series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, 3-0. Their starting pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, impressed his teammates with his performance against their MLB Tokyo Series 2025 opponents.

The former Nippon Professional Baseball star threw six shutout innings against the Cubs, allowing just two hits with nine strikeouts.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman told reporters on Friday, including Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation, that he believes Yamamoto has yet to reach his full potential in MLB.

“He [Yamamoto] was great,” Freeman told reporters on Friday, including McKain.

“He looks like he’s on a mission this year. He’s just attacking hitters with his electric stuff. I think he’s more comfortable here in his second year.”

Freddie Freeman says Yoshinobu Yamamoto looks like he’s on a mission this year: “He was great. He looks like he’s on a mission this year.

He just attacking hitters with his electric stuff. I think he’s more comfortable here in his second year.” pic.twitter.com/d1YhbeLJxW — Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) April 12, 2025 In four starts, Yamamoto has an ERA+ of 302, a 0.909 WHIP, and a MLB high 28 strikeouts in 22 innings.

The Japan Series champion with NPB’s Orix Buffaloes in 2022 is 2-1 with a 1.23 ERA.

Opposing batters are having trouble lifting the ball in the air against Yamamoto so far in 2025, as 66.7 percent of the balls put in play against the righty have been ground balls.

Though it’s a small sample size, his ground ball rate is 24.8 percentage points higher than the MLB average of 41.9.

Last January, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers.

The 26-year-old performed exceptionally well in the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees, allowing one earned run in 6.1 innings in a 4-2 win in game two.

The Bizen, Japan, native will continue to be the ace of the Dodgers’ pitching rotation until Blake Snell returns from the 15-day injured list with left shoulder soreness.