NEW YORK — Yoshinobu Yamamoto understands the critical need for innings given the injury-riddled state of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching rotation, which often has uncertain starting options listed.
“Anything can happen in terms of injury or any setbacks in the rotation at this point,” Yamamoto expressed through a translator as he prepared to take the mound against the New York Mets for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
Standing at 5-foot-10, the right-handed pitcher is among the few remaining options from a once-promising rotation that originally featured names like Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, James Paxton, Emmett Sheehan, and Gavin Stone, all of whom ended their seasons prematurely due to various injuries.
In addition, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin have been sidelined for the entirety of the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Yamamoto took the mound twice during the Division Series against the San Diego Padres, with contributions from July acquisition Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, and reliever Ryan Brasier appearing once each.
Flaherty delivered an impressive seven scoreless innings during the NLCS opener, a performance that has become increasingly rare for the Dodgers. Brasier was utilized as a one-inning opener in the Dodgers’ Game 2 loss, while Buehler made his return on Wednesday night against the Mets as Yamamoto prepared for his start.
In his postseason debut, Yamamoto completed three innings, leaving the series opener against the Padres trailing 5-3 after giving up a two-run double to Xander Bogaerts, a contest that ultimately ended with a 7-5 win for the Dodgers.
He rebounded to throw five scoreless innings in the decisive Game 5, allowing only two hits and outmatching Japanese counterpart Yu Darvish before exiting after throwing 63 pitches.
“After Game 5, I felt my mechanics were much more refined than in my first outing,” he commented on his performance.
Signing a 12-year contract valued at $325 million with the Dodgers last offseason, Yamamoto turned down offers from both the New York Yankees and Mets. Since turning 26 in August, he has recorded a 7-2 record with a 3.00 ERA across 18 starts, accumulating 105 strikeouts and 22 walks in 90 innings while showcasing a diverse mix of six pitches, including a fastball that averaged 95.5 mph. However, he went on the injured list due to triceps tightness from June 15 until September 10.
In the regular season, he faced the Mets once, yielding four runs—three of which were earned—along with seven hits across six innings, striking out nine while receiving a no-decision during a match at Dodger Stadium on April 19.
“He’s incredibly refined,” remarked Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who experienced mixed results against Yamamoto, striking out on a low curveball, delivering an RBI single on a full-count curve, and grounding out on a low splitter in his three at-bats.
Last autumn, while playing for Orix in the Japan Series, Yamamoto faced intense pressure in a high-stakes environment. He surrendered seven runs in the first game but bounced back to set a Japan Series record by striking out 14 batters during a complete game performance that led to a Game 7 showdown.
“He has experience in high-pressure games, so I had confidence he would rise to the occasion here,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “While he might not be the biggest physically, the power he can generate is remarkable.”