Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Top Cards to Collect
After an electrifying start to his career with the Orix Buffaloes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a massive 12-year, $325 million contract with the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers. Few players in the history of baseball have arrived at the big-league level with such a combination of a huge price tag and incredibly lofty expectations. Amazingly, Yamamoto has lived up to the billing and emerged as the ace of the NLCS Champion Dodgers.
After a shaky start to his MLB postseason career in Game One of the NLDS, he out-pitched Yu Darvish of the San Diego Padres in the series-clinching Game Five, which also happened to be the most-watched MLB game in their home country of Japan. A solid outing against the Mets in the next round helped Los Angeles to the World Series. Now, with it all on the line, the Japanese star can take home a ring to cap an excellent debut season. Slated to start Game Two of the World Series on Saturday, let’s take a moment to revisit some of the best Yoshinobu Yamamoto cards to collect.
Top Yoshinobu Yamamoto Cards
2024 MLB Topps NOW® Game-Used Ball Relic #869 Yoshinobu Yamamoto 1/1
Player Info
• Won his 1st career World Series start
set info
• This card also included /10 and /1 Game-Ball Used Relic cards
card info
• A major milestone card for Yamamoto, Dodgers Fans, and collectors everywhere
2024 Topps Chrome® Baseball #18 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Player info
• finished his debut season with a 7-2 record to go along with a 3.00 era
Set info
• 300 card base set
card info
• Yamamoto’s Topps chrome debut has been highly-sought after as collectors quickly identified the star as one to watch
2024 MLB TOPPS NOW® #OS-25 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Player info
• Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million deal was the most lucrative for a pitcher in league history
Set info
• total numbered parallel print of only 100, including 1/1 gold card
card info
• celebrating the historic acquisition of Yamamoto by the Dodgers
2024 MLB TOPPS NOW® Card 42 Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Player info
• first win came against the Chicago Cubs
• struck out eight and allowed only three hits
Set info
• online exclusive
card info
• a piece of history documenting Yamamoto’s first-ever MLB victory
2022 Bowman Chrome NPB #9 Yoshinobu Yamamoto Red Refractor /5
Player info
• 4x Pacific League strikeout king
• Led Pacific League in era four times
• threw two no-hitters in npb
Set info
• 180 base card set
card info
• one of the earliest Yamamoto cards, desired as it captures him during his brilliant career in npb
2024 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani Yoshinobu Yamamoto #II-1
Player info
• this duo helped Japan to its historic gold medal in the 2023 World Baseball Classic
• Yamamoto also won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
Set info
• 25 card insert
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• first bowman chrome dual card featuring Yamamoto with his fellow teammate and countryman Shohei Ohtani
