There’s no other pitcher the Los Angeles Dodgers would want taking the ball for an elimination start in hostile territory than Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Fortunately, the Dodgers will send their Japanese-born right-handed ace to the hill for Game 6 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Rogers Centre.
Yamamoto has been the Dodgers ace all season, since he led all Dodgers pitchers in starts (30), wins (12), innings pitched (173 2/3) and all qualifying starters in ERA (2.49).
Plus, this postseason Yamamoto is 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA and has consecutive complete games, including his one-run, four-hit, eight-strikeout performance in LA’s 5-1 win at Rogers Centre in Game 2.
Yamamoto and the Dodgers trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series and are trying to force a Game 7 on Saturday.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Is Laser Focused On Game 6
Yamamoto is the only Dodgers starting pitcher to win in the series, and his 1.00 ERA is far superior to the rest of LA’s starters, who have combined for a 6.44 ERA against Toronto.
“It did give me a certain level of confidence,” Yamamoto said of his dominant Game 2. “But now my mind is reset and then just focusing on the new game.”
But Game 2 was not an anomaly, since Yamamoto has already become a big-game pitcher. He is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA in eight career postseason starts since he signed with the Dodgers last year.
“I just don’t feel too much difference,” Yamamoto said of pitching in big games. “I do get a little nervous, but I have been working really hard to get out and perform there. So I just do my best.”
Yamamoto did not have trouble with the Blue Jays‘ pesky lineup in Game 2. But Toronto boasts a .261 batting average in the series — despite going 4 for 30 (.133) against Yamamoto — and it could pose a unique challenge for the ace facing him for the second time.
“They have a great lineup,” Yamamoto said. “In terms of game planning, I’m getting into it probably later. So I’m just going to get myself ready the best as possible, and then just face them.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has confidence in his Game 6 starter — “I expect Yamamoto to throw well,” he said after LA’s 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 5 — and Yamamoto is focused on helping the Dodgers force a do-or-die Game 7.
“I’m just focusing on just to get this win in Game 6, and then just that’s probably the only thing in my mind right now,” Yamamoto said.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Warmed Up To Enter Game 3
Yamamoto almost threw in consecutive games, since he volunteered to pitch the 19th inning if Game 3 had kept going if Freddie Freeman hadn’t hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th.
Yamamoto was asked how nearly entering the game affected his preparation for his Game 6 outing, which included a throw day Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.
“[Wednesday] was my bullpen day,” Yamamoto said. [In] Game 3, I went in the bullpen for warming up. So I was just starting just like regular throwing, and then if I was feeling like some sort of too much tightness, then I was going to cancel it. But I felt really good, so I just threw a pen today.”
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