Jul 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Jul 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Yoshinobu Yamamoto: First All-Star Game Selection ‘Would Be An Honor’

Originally posted on Dodger Blue | By Matt Borelli | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is in the midst of another impressive season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has pitched himself squarely into consideration for being on the National League team at the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.

Yamamoto improved to 8-6 after throwing seven innings of one-run ball against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. He now owns a 2.51 ERA, 3.10 FIP, 1.01 WHIP and 10.1 strikeouts per nine in 96.2 frames across 17 starts.

“It would be such an honor for me if I was voted in,” Yamamoto said of potentially being selected to this year’s Midsummer Classic at Truist Park through an interpreter. “That’s Major League Baseball’s top stage where players gather, so that would be an honor for me.”

Yamamoto posted a minuscule 1.97 ERA through the first two months of the regular season, but struggled to the tune of a 4.21 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in June.

Despite regressing a bit, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes Yamamoto is unquestionably an All-Star.

“Oh, yeah. He’s an All-Star,” Roberts said. “Started off ablaze, then he kind of simmered a little bit. “The last two have been pretty good, certainly the one in Colorado was really good. So absolutely he’s one of the top whatever pitchers that need to be on an All-Star roster. For sure.”

Yamamoto earned five All-Star selections while pitching in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) but is looking for his first as a Major Leaguer.

Pitchers and reserves are selected to the MLB All-Star Game by way of player ballot choices and picks made by the commissioner’s office.

Would Yoshinobu Yamamoto start the All-Star Game?

If the 26-year-old is selected to this year’s exhibition in Atlanta, he figures to be among the pitchers under consideration to start for the National League.

With Roberts managing the team, he could very well give the nod to Yamamoto. However, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies are other deserving candidates to start the All-Star Game for the NL.

This article first appeared on Dodger Blue and was syndicated with permission.

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