For the third year running, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a pitching wonder from Japan, has been awarded the Pacific League’s most valuable player.

Joining the rare group of players who have won three MVP awards in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, Yamamoto is in high demand by MLB clubs this winter. He follows in the footsteps of Ichiro Suzuki and Hisashi Yamada.

Ichiro, who played for the Orix under the Blue Wave nаme, is a legendary figure in the franchise, according to the 25-year-old.

I’m glad I followed in his footsteps. I am one of those people that looks up to him.

The NPB’s version of the CY Yong, the Sawamura Award, was bestowed upon Yamamoto for the third year in a row.

This season, he made 23 appearances, went 16-6, walked 28 hitters, struck out 169, and had a 1.21 ERA and 0.884 WҺIP in 164 innings pitched.

Regardless, Yamamoto believed he could still improve as a pitcher.

“I guess you could sаy I didn’t give it my all on the field, but I’ve had an incredible journey in professional baseball,” he stated. “I’m overjoyed because I really want to keep making a difference.”

The New York Mets, the Chicago Cubs, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Francisco Giants are among the many teams rumored to be interested in signing Yamamoto as a free agency this offseason.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Yamamoto is expected to begin negotiations with teams around $200 million and then go up from there.

“His trademark is his wide assortment of breаking pitches, excellent command and a fastball in the mid-90s,” ESPN’s Buster Olney stated while describing his game.

Rumors have been going around in MLB circles that Yamamoto would rather play for a west coast club, which might be problematic for teams like the Mets and Yankees, as pointed out by Paul Heyman of the NY Post.