LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is thrilled to see his Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto go up against San Diego’s Yu Darvish in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series.
Darvish is set to take the mound for the Padres in the crucial matchup on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, where previous games have seen interruptions from fans, as in Game 2 last week, which faced a 12-minute delay due to debris being tossed onto the playing field.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing if he will pitch against Yoshinobu and potentially face off with Darvish,” Ohtani mentioned through an interpreter.
This game marks a historic moment, as it will be the first instance of two Japanese-born starting pitchers facing off in the playoffs. Ohtani was looking forward to this matchup earlier in the series when Yamamoto was initially slated to start in Game 2 against Darvish, but the Dodgers later moved him to start Game 1 instead.
In Game 2, Darvish showcased his skill by allowing only one run and three hits— all singles— over the course of seven innings, significantly contributing to the Padres’ 10-2 victory. His strategy involved utilizing seven different pitches with various speeds, which left Dodgers hitters struggling. Darvish and Yamamoto share a good friendship, while Darvish has long been an idol to Ohtani from his childhood.
“For us to be able to pitch on the same day in a playoff game is significant,” Darvish expressed through an interpreter.
Darvish’s last appearance on the Dodger Stadium mound for an elimination game dates back to the 2017 World Series, where he pitched Game 7 for the Dodgers against the Houston Astros. After struggling through just 47 pitches, the Astros built a five-run lead and went on to clinch the championship.
“I’m not focused on that past experience,” Darvish stated. “However, perhaps the experience I’ve accumulated up until this moment is what makes me feel composed right now.”
While Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not announce a specific starter earlier on Thursday, he noted that Yamamoto would definitely factor into their plans. Later on, the team confirmed that Yamamoto would indeed start.
The 26-year-old right-handed pitcher has had some difficulty this season against the Padres, having given up a total of 13 earned runs across three starts. In Game 1, the Padres scored three runs against him, highlighted by a two-run homer from Manny Machado in the opening inning.
“It’s primarily a matter of command. When he’s not able to command the baseball, he struggles,” said Roberts. “But when he’s confident and aggressively attacking hitters with his pitch variety, he can compete with the best.”
Yamamoto is currently the highest-paid pitcher in the league, having signed a monumental 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers in December, coming shortly after Ohtani signed his record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal with the same team.
In Game 1, Yamamoto allowed five runs, tying his season’s highest total, with seven out of the 16 batters reaching base against him. Post-game, Roberts observed that the rookie might have been signaling his pitches inadvertently.
“I believe we have made some necessary adjustments,” said Roberts. “To their credit, they executed their scouting remarkably well. Overall, I feel very confident in where Yoshinobu is right now.”
In a must-win Game 4, the Dodgers impressively employed eight relievers to secure an 8-0 shutout of the Padres, setting up a thrilling Game 5 between the rival teams.
Roberts indicated that the Dodgers would have six or seven relievers at their disposal for the crucial game. Jack Flaherty, who struggled as a starter in Game 2 and had an on-field exchange with Machado, remains a possible option for the bullpen.
“Someone will step up, and we’ll be ready for that,” remarked Padres manager Mike Shildt.
Shildt remained unfazed by the uncertainty surrounding the Dodgers’ strategy, drawing a parallel between his team’s straightforward approach and that of Pro Football Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi, emphasizing the clear plan of starting Yu Darvish and presenting their lineup.
“We’re going to show our cards — here’s Yu Darvish starting, and this is who we are. We’ll compete and execute our game plan, and if we do that, we’ll shake hands and celebrate,” Shildt said.
The Dodgers will miss injured shortstop Miguel Rojas in the starting lineup for Game 5, although he remains available as a pinch hitter. Tommy Edman will take over the shortstop position. Roberts also refrained from disclosing who might fill in for Edman in center field.
The team anticipates that All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman will return to the lineup after being scratched late from Game 4 due to a sprained right ankle, an injury that also forced him to exit Game 2 early.
“He’s feeling significantly better today with treatment,” Roberts confirmed.
