[Report Card on Japanese Major Leaguers] From the Unquestionably Outstanding Shohei Ohtani to Yoshinobu Yamamoto… The “True Value of the Samurai” as Seen Through the Latest Metrics
[Part 1] How Do the Three Dodgers Players Stack Up?
Japanese Major Leaguers Are Shining
The “Dodgers Trio,” aiming for a third consecutive World Series title, is joined by a pair of rookies who have broken the Japanese rookie home run record—this year’s Major League season has seen remarkable performances by Japanese players.While talk shows feature the Samurai players’ spectacular home runs and strikeouts day after day, their true ability cannot be measured by those highlights alone.
FRIDAY, in collaboration with Hiroshi Miyashita, an analyst at DELTA Co., Ltd.—a company specializing in baseball data analysis and strategy—has thoroughly examined the statistics of the Samurai Major Leaguers using the latest metrics.Eliminating subjectivity and using evaluation criteria that go beyond traditional statistics like “batting average” and “wins,” we’ve created a “report card” rated from S to D to reveal the “true value” of the Samurai players. Let’s start with Shohei Ohtani (32) of the Dodgers (comments below are by Mr. Miyashita).
Shohei Ohtani (32) [Dodgers]
Overall Rating: S
“WAR—which indicates how many wins a player contributes to the team compared to a bench player—stands at 7 for his combined pitching and hitting performance (figures as of August 25; same applies below).This ranks second in the National League and warrants an unquestionable ‘S’ rating. On the other hand, the decline in home runs is a cause for concern. His average swing speed has dropped by about 1.1 miles per hour (approx. 1.8 km/h) compared to last year. He may be deliberately reducing his power output to lessen the physical strain of playing as a two-way player.
However, his FastSw% (the percentage of swings at 75 miles per hour or higher, approximately 121 km/h) has risen compared to right after the season began.It’s possible that by aggressively swinging hard before getting into a jam, he’s regaining his power. As a result, his ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) has been rising since June and is now .259, among the best in the league. It’s also possible that his home run total will gradually increase.”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28) [Dodgers]
Overall Rating: A+
Teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto (28) has continued his phenomenal pitching since the season opener, posting 12 wins and a 2.61 ERA so far. However, his rating is, unfortunately, only A+.
“The K% (the ratio of strikeouts to batters faced), a key pitching metric, has dropped by about 4.5% from last year to approximately 24.9%.Although his fastball velocity is actually higher this year, it’s possible that batters have adjusted to him as the number of at-bats against him has increased. His K-BB% (strikeouts minus walks, divided by total batters faced) has also decreased slightly. However, his K-BB% is showing signs of improvement.Striking out batters in high-leverage situations looks like an area for improvement going forward. That said, his numbers are still far better than those of the average pitcher in the league.”
Adjusting to the Majors
Roki Sasaki (24) [Dodgers]
Overall Rating: C
Roki Sasaki (24) received a “D” rating for the first half of the season, but he rebounded in the second half, earning a one-rank upgrade to “C.”
“Early in the season, when his ERA was in the 5.00 range, the average velocity of Sasaki’s four-seam fastball was around 97 mph (approx. 155 km/h), which was only average by MLB standards.However, in the second half, he has recorded average speeds of 98–100 mph (approx. 158–161 km/h) at times, indicating that his pitching power has returned. That said, his K-BB%, which peaked at 19.3% in May—his best month—dropped to 8.6% in August.”Improving his command is the key.”
Kazuma Okamoto (30) [Blue Jays]
Overall Rating: B+
Kazuma Okamoto (30), a rookie for the Blue Jays—who faced the Dodgers in last year’s World Series—received a B rating.
“The reason he’s managed to hit 26 home runs—surpassing Ohtani’s rookie year total—despite a .229 batting average so far is that his Barrel% is 12.7.This metric indicates how effectively he is hitting the ball into the ‘Barrel Zone’—a combination of exit velocity (the speed at which the ball leaves the bat, which tends to result in extra-base hits) and launch angle.Okamoto is particularly skilled at generating angle on pulled hits, outperforming the Major League average.
On the other hand, his strikeout rate—which was about 10% in his final year in Japan—has risen to about 30%. This may be a side effect of his conscious effort to pull the ball in order to react to Major League pitchers’ fastballs.”
Munehisa Murakami (26) [White Sox]
Overall Rating: A
Munehiro Murakami (26) of the White Sox, also a rookie who has hit 29 home runs so far this season, recorded a Barrel% of 20.1, surpassing Okamoto’s. He receives an A rating.
“In Murakami’s case, his Hard Hit %—the percentage of balls hit with a speed of 95 mph (approximately 153 km/h) or higher—stands at 58.3, one of the highest figures in the majors.Additionally, his BB% (the percentage of walks relative to at-bats) is among the highest at 16.9. At this point, Murakami has adapted to the majors better than Okamoto.”
From the September 11 & 18, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*
PHOTO： AFLO