The Dodgers are moving on to the National League Championship Series after taking down the Braves, and the fans have already picked the player they think carried the most weight in the NLDS: Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
In a poll on X, formerly Twitter, more than 2,700 people voted Wednesday night, and Yamamoto came away with nearly 68% of the vote. Third baseman Max Muncy finished with just under 20%, while first baseman Freddie Freeman also drew support.
The fan reaction makes plenty of sense after Yamamoto’s Game 3 outing. With the series tied 1-1 and Braves ace Chris Sale on the mound, the Dodgers needed a big-time answer from their own pitching staff.
They got it. Yamamoto delivered seven innings, struck out 10, and allowed four hits and one walk.
That performance mattered even more given the way the rotation was set up. When manager Dave Roberts first announced that the newly acquired ace Tarik Skubal would start Game 1 and fellow two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell would start Game 2, some questioned the choice. It wasn’t exactly standard procedure to hold the reigning World Series MVP until Game 3, but the move paid off.
Still, Yamamoto wasn’t the only name drawing applause. A strong case was also made for Muncy, who hit three home runs in the four games. One of them came in the ninth inning of Game 4 and served as the insurance shot that shut the door on Atlanta’s comeback hopes.
“Max Muncy!!! He is steady and comes in clutch,” wrote @Bruinbuttercup55 on Instagram.
“Just thinking of the struggles he had last year and how he has consistently shown up not only on the plate but on defense! Defense wins games!”
Muncy’s work at third base added to his case, but his bat has been the louder storyline. That power was enough for Dodgers Nation to name his three-homer game the best moment of the regular season.
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Dodgers Suddenly Have A Bullpen Boost At The Perfect Time
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Edwin Dazs return from injury late in the season has given Los Angeles a late boost, and he was effective in the series against Atlanta. His presence gives Roberts another trusted option in high-leverage innings, which matters even more with the Brewers waiting in a tough road setting. The bigger question now is how far that confidence in Daz can carry once the stage gets even bigger. [Read more 🡒]
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Dodgers Avoided The Teoscar Scare They Couldnt Afford Before NLCS
Teoscar Hernndez gave the Dodgers a moment of real concern in Game 4 of the NLDS when he went up for a fly ball and slammed into the outfield wall. For a team trying to finish off the Braves and punch its ticket to the NLCS, it was the kind of sight that can change the feel of a postseason night in a hurry, especially with Hernndez playing an important role in the lineup and in the clubhouse energy around this group.
He stayed in the game after being checked out and later was right there for the postgame interviews and celebration, which eased the immediate worry around the collision. For the Dodgers, the timing mattered as much as anything else, because getting through that scare without a bigger setback leaves them moving on with one less thing to manage before the next round begins. [Read more 🡒]