Yoshinobu Yamamoto dazzled in an eight-inning, two-run start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.

En route to his longest outing in the major leagues, Yamamoto accomplished a feat no other Dodgers pitcher can claim: He began the game by throwing 19 straight strikes. No pitcher has done that since complete pitch-tracking data became available in 2000.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto casually starts the game with 19 STRAIGHT STRIKES.No @Dodgers pitcher on record has done this since pitch-tracking data began in 2000. pic.twitter.com/F7Rc4Le0Iv

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) May 8, 2024

The game was Yamamoto’s third consecutive quality start. He became the second pitcher on the Dodgers’ staff to pitch past the seventh inning. He also lowered his earned-run average to 2.79.

It seems as if Yamamoto has left his disastrous start in South Korea behind him, and is transforming into the dependable starter the Dodgers thought he would be when they signed him to a $12-year, $325 million contract before he ever threw a pitch in Major League Baseball.

Despite giving up a home run on the first pitch to Jazz Chisholm Jr., Yamamoto continued to attack the Marlins’ lineup, with 73 of his 97 pitches thrown for strikes.

Manager Dave Roberts was asked his thoughts about Yamamoto’s start after the game and one word came to his mind.

“Fan-tas-tic,” he said. “Really great job.”

The manager also said Yamamoto is “starting to become that guy.”

“But again, [we want him to] just go out there and keep doing what he’s been doing,” Roberts added. “Because it’s been really good.”