One stat defines just how dominant Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been for Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation is so good collectively when they are healthy that it's sometimes difficult to focus on the individuals' accomplishments.

As a fan, it's easy to just look at the starting unit of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani as one. But Yamamoto's latest feat stands out even relative to this dominant group of pitchers.

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been dominant this season

Yamamoto's most recent start came on September 15 against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. It was yet another ho-hum performance by the Dodgers ace. He picked up the win going seven scoreless innings, while allowing just one hit. He only walked two batters while striking out seven. Yamamoto lowered his career WHIP to 0.96, which is officially the best WHIP ever by a pitcher their first 75 career starts.

Yamamoto outpaced 2025 National League Cy Young Award-winner — and perhaps future Dodgers pitcher in Paul Skenes — as well as former member of LA's pitching staff, Walker Buehler. Behind Yamamoto, Skenes, and Buehler are Seattle Mariners All-Star starter Bryan Woo and Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen.

Not only does Yamamoto have the best WHIP ever through his first 75 games, but he's allowed the third-fewest runs in MLB history by a pitcher through that same span (trailing only Rasmussen and Skenes).

Opposing hitters are hitting .192/.252/.310 against Yamamoto through those 75 starts -- that is the lowest batting average against of any pitcher since 1974 (when that data became available). It's also the lowest on-base percentage, the fifth-lowest slugging percentage, and the second-lowest OPS.

Below is a list of fewest hits allowed in MLB history by a pitcher in their first 75 starts. There's a lot of familiar names on that list.

Yamamoto has clearly been worth every penny since he signed that mega-deal with the Dodgers. It's nice to be able to point to his historic regular season success as well as his historic postseason success. Yamamoto is slowly building up a Hall of Fame résumé through his first three Major League seasons.

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