By AJ Johnson
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is headed to an MLB ballpark near you.
TOKYO —The Orix Buffaloes said Sunday after it lost Game 7 of the Japan Series that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be allowed to move to a Major League Baseball team under the player posting system
It’s been widely reported already that the ace pitcher will move to MLB and is expected to be a top target of many teams this winter.
“I’d like to thank my team for accepting my request,” Yamamoto was quoted by Japan’s Kyodo news agency as saying after Orix lost 7-1 in the Games 7 on Sunday.
The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher has a record of 70-29 in the Japanese baseball league. He is known for his wide assortment of breaking pitches, pinpoint command, and a fastball in the mid-90 mph range.
Yamamoto pitched two games during the World Series equivalent for Japanese baseball -The Japan Series. He allowed seven earned runs in Game 1 but came back in Game 6 and set a series record when he struck out 14.
Yamamoto was 16-6 this season with a 1.21 ERA.. He struck out 169 in 164 innings.
