I think the Americans may have caught up with the superb Japanese torpedoes at this point in the war.
We have the utility of the torpedo hammered into us in The Destroyermen series [by Taylor Anderson]
The Japanese really had outstanding torpedoes. Even if somewhat inferior, the American torpedoes had about the same range as the main and secondary batteries of the Japanese guns.
At range, the destroyer at high speed could turn upon seeing a Japanese let loose a salvo and evade the incoming rounds. Every torpedo launched by the destroyer would force evasive maneuvers by the battleship.