The Changing Landscape of MLB Pitching
Today’s MLB pitchers operate in a very different environment. The strategic use of bullpens has surged, with managers often hesitant to extend the outings of starting pitchers. It’s increasingly seen as more effective to substitute in a fresh arm instead of allowing a fatigued starter to face the same hitters multiple times.
This shift means that for pitchers who aspire to throw a no-hitter, the likelihood of completing a game has become quite rare, unless they really impress their manager. In the 2025 regular season, the 30 teams together managed just 29 complete games—only one less than Steve Carlton achieved during his Cy Young-winning season with the Phillies back in 1972.
The drop in complete games is notable compared to just a decade ago. While the number of pitchers used in 2015 wasn’t reminiscent of Carlton’s time, there were still 104 pitchers in the majors, and six of them managed to pitch four complete games. However, in 2025, only four pitchers completed even two games.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is a notable addition to the conversation. At 27, the right-hander is in his second season with the Dodgers after securing a hefty 12-year, $325 million contract during the 2023-2024 offseason. This is especially interesting given he never pitched in the MLB or minors before that. Yet, he stood out as an extraordinary rookie, dominating in Japan’s NPB from a young age. Over his final three seasons in Japan, he amassed 580 strikeouts and held an impressive 1.44 ERA, winning three consecutive MVPs and the Sawamura Award, which is like the Cy Young of NPB. And let’s not forget his role in helping Japan clinch the World Baseball Classic title alongside Shohei Ohtani in 2023.
A shoulder injury limited Yamamoto to just 18 starts in his first MLB season, but he emerged strong, and by the postseason, he was one of the few healthy starters left for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. In fact, during the 2024 championship, he proved to be a consistent presence, allowing just one run over 6.1 innings in Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees. His second season saw him make 30 starts, recording a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts across 173.2 innings, even earning his first All-Star selection and leading MLB starters with a 5.9 H/9. While he might not be in Paul Skeens’ league, he’s certainly in the running for the Cy Young award.
Still, despite his skills, Yamamoto has yet to pitch a complete game over 48 starts in the majors. He came close to a no-hitter in Baltimore last September but hasn’t pulled one off since his NPB days. This isn’t really a reflection of his talent; he just hasn’t had the opportunity—after all, the Dodgers didn’t get a single complete game from any pitcher last season.
In October 2025, an interesting chance arose for Yamamoto. Although the Dodgers had a robust bullpen in their 2024 World Series win, concerns loomed this season. Despite clinching their 12th division title in 13 years, the reliability of their relief pitchers was questionable, causing worries heading into the World Series opener against Toronto. Game 1’s starting pitcher, Blake Snell, struggled early, leaving the door wide open for Toronto, which ultimately won 11-4 after an explosive fifth inning.
Going into Game 2, the Dodgers’ status as favorites was shaky. Even the most optimistic fans didn’t want to see the team go down 0-2, especially with the series likely not returning to LA. However, with Yamamoto ready for Game 2, and riding high from a solid streak of recent performances, there was hope. The previous game had shown that the team could be one hit away from breaking down. Snell managed to pitch well, allowing just one hit across eight innings.
Yamamoto was determined to go against Milwaukee the following day, and Roberts strategically preserved his starting lineup. In a pivotal moment, Yamamoto’s splitter gave the Dodgers a 5-1 win, marking a rare complete game in the modern postseason—something that hadn’t happened since Johnny Cueto did it a decade ago. It was also rare for players to pitch back-to-back complete games in the playoffs since Curt Schilling managed that in 2001.
As a little piece of nostalgia, the last Dodger to achieve consecutive complete games was Orel Hershiser back in 1988, who had an impressive streak of scoreless innings that season and helped lead the team to victory.
Yamamoto, though, likely won’t return to the starting role immediately, so unless he’s called in for a surprise relief appearance, he shouldn’t expect to pitch again until possibly Game 6. But he seems ready, especially considering the current struggles of the bullpen.
Who needs a dominant closer when you have a talent like Yamamoto?
