Yoshinobu Yamamoto enters October with the same calm edge that carried him through last year’s postseason run, and the Dodgers are handing him the ball again with big expectations.
His first assignment comes Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves in Game 3, and the matchup puts him opposite one of the National League’s top arms in Chris Sale. Yamamoto isn’t making it any bigger than that.
“Obviously he’s one of the best pitchers,” said Yamamoto. “But I just want to focus on my own job.”
That has been his approach before, and it paid off in a massive way last postseason. Yamamoto took on everything the Dodgers asked of him, including pitching in Game 7 of the World Series on less than a day’s rest. By the end of the run, he had logged 37.1 innings, won World Series MVP, and made himself the defining pitcher of the postseason for Los Angeles.
He said he’d be ready to do it all again if the situation calls for it.
“I’m going to get myself ready for any situation,” Yamamoto said. “If they want me to go out, then I’ll go out. The key things for me this postseason is focusing on the game in front of me”
Last year, Yamamoto led all Dodgers starters in postseason workload. He started five games, worked out of the bullpen once, and delivered two complete games in back-to-back outings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. He finished the World Series by throwing 2.2 innings in the final game.
The numbers told the story of just how dominant he was. Across those 37.1 innings, Yamamoto posted a 0.78 WHIP and struck out 33 batters, making him easily the most impactful pitcher on the Dodgers during the playoff run.
A repeat of that kind of marathon may not be necessary this time around. The Dodgers leaned on Yamamoto out of need last October, when the bullpen was running on fumes late in the season and throughout the playoffs. This year, the staff is in a better place, and Los Angeles is expected to manage his workload more carefully so he can stay sharp all month.
Even so, the Dodgers want the same kind of start they got from him a year ago. Yamamoto’s first appearance of this postseason is set for Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. PT.
In Other News...
Dodgers Let NLDS Control Slip Away After Another Offensive Letdown
Blake Snells afternoon never found a rhythm, and the Dodgers could not do enough offensively to take advantage of the opening it created. Los Angeles dropped a 3-2 decision to the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, a result that evened the series at one game apiece and left the Dodgers searching for the timely hit that has been missing too often in October.
Snell issued a season-high five walks, and the game turned on a chaotic stretch that included a wild pitch from Braves reliever Kris Bubic before Atlanta grabbed the go-ahead run. Freddie Freeman also came through for the Braves with a home run, his first since Sept. 2, adding another swing that helped flip the momentum and leave the Dodgers with a split instead of control. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face A Lineup Decision That Could Test Braves In Game 3
After getting bottled up by the Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, the Dodgers are staring at a familiar October problem: how to jolt an offense that went quiet when it needed to answer back. Atlanta leaned on multiple pitchers to keep Los Angeles in check, and now Dave Roberts is weighing a lineup tweak for Game 3 as the series shifts into a more urgent phase for a team trying to avoid elimination.
The concern centers on center fielder Andy Pages, whose postseason struggles have become hard to ignore, and that has opened the door for Enrique Hernandez to potentially step in and give the lineup a different look. Hernandez has earned a reputation as a reliable October bat, which is part of what makes this decision so interesting for the Dodgers, who need more than just better at-bats now - they need a spark that can change the feel of the series. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Real Andy Pages Lineup Dilemma
Andy Pages arrived at October with the kind of profile the Dodgers hoped would translate, but through two postseason games he has not found much traction. He has gone hitless in eight plate appearances, drawing one walk and striking out four times, and the swing-and-miss issues have stood out even more because they are so far above his regular-season norms. For a Dodgers lineup built to keep pressure on opposing pitching, that kind of drop-off from a regular contributor quickly becomes hard to ignore.
Dave Roberts has already made one adjustment by limiting Pages ability to challenge calls, a small but telling sign that the club is trying to manage both the player and the moment. If the struggles continue, the Dodgers do not appear short on alternatives, which only adds to the tension around Pages spot. In October, even a young hitter with legitimate upside can find himself one rough stretch away from a lineup debate. [Read more 🡒]