Japan’s Yamamoto throws 2nd no-hitter ahead of possible move to Major League Baseball

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who could be moving to Major League Baseball next season, pitched the 100th no-hitter in Japanese big league history on Saturday for the Orix Buffaloes against the Lotte Marines.

Yamamoto struck out eight, walked one and hit one batter in the 4-0 victory, extending his scoreless streak to 42 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander is 14-5 with a 1.26 ERA, 145 strikeouts and 24 walks in 143 innings this season.

It was the second no-hitter for the two-time Pacific League MVP, who threw his first against the Seibu Lions on June 18 last year.

He was 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance at this year’s World Baseball Classic, striking out 12 and walking two in 7 1/3 innings.

Yamamoto does not have enough service time to become a free agent in Japan but he could be offered to MLB teams under the posting system agreed to by MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman watched from a front-row seat, among several executives watching Yamamoto.

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