LOS ANGELES — For years before he made his move to Major League Baseball, before he became the highest-paid pitcher in the history of the sport, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was a subject of fascination. His training methods were idiosyncratic. His track record in Japan was one of dominance. His diminutive stature drew awe from executives throughout the game who marveled at his ability to manipulate a baseball.
On the largest stage of his baseball-playing life, the 5-foot-10 right-hander stood tallest. Yamamoto dominated the New York Yankees in the World Series, delivering the greatest start of his rookie campaign and bringing the Los Angeles Dodgers to within two wins of a title.
“He was made for those moments,” Teoscar Hernández said. “He was doing it in Japan before he got here, and as soon as he got here, he was doing it here.”
“He was lights out,” Kiké Hernández said.
Yamamoto surrendered one hit, a solo home run to slugger Juan Soto, over 6 1/3 innings in the 4-2 win. For a night, at least, he looked every bit like the man the Dodgers envisioned winning them postseason games as they fantasized about a 12-year future with the Japanese star.
Catcher Will Smith and manager Dave Roberts congratulate Yoshinobu Yamamoto as he departs in the seventh inning. (Harry How / Getty Images)
What happened after Yamamoto left the mound only emphasized how important it was that the Dodgers’ $325 million man reached those heights Saturday night. Shohei Ohtani attempted to steal second base in the seventh inning and wound up laying on the infield dirt in clear pain after partially dislocating his left shoulder.
The injury threatened the Dodgers’ stronghold of this series in an instant. There is no more feared hitter in baseball’s most dangerous lineup. There is no player who more directly impacts the Dodgers’ fortunes on their bottom line and in the box score than Ohtani.
Manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers were “encouraged” by their initial strength and range-of-motion testing with Ohtani. The designated hitter will undergo testing on Sunday to determine if there was any further damage to his non-throwing shoulder. Roberts added he was “expecting him to be in the lineup.”
If Ohtani is out, it opens a window for a Yankees club that can close the margin on whatever slim lineup advantage the Dodgers may have. Soto has been New York’s most lethal weapon by far. Yamamoto neutralized Giancarlo Stanton, who has had a standout October, in three at-bats. Just about every opponent Aaron Judge has faced this October has done an effective job of holding down the presumptive American League MVP; Judge struck out three times in four at-bats Saturday, including twice against Yamamoto.
Yamamoto set the Dodgers up well with his dominance Saturday and showed something he hadn’t since the last time he faced this Yankees club in June. Injury halted his progress this summer when a strained right rotator cuff put nights like this in jeopardy. In Game 2, pitched into the sixth inning for the first time since that night he twirled seven scoreless at Yankee Stadium. His first fastball registered at 98 mph and held in the mid-90s throughout. Yamamoto settled into his fastball command as the night progressed. He was willing to use his slider against the likes of Judge and Stanton. His splitter danced all night.
“Everything was working well today,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.
Yamamoto limited himself to one mistake. With Soto in a two-strike count in the third inning, Yamamoto yanked a fastball destined for the lower outside corner and left it belt-high over the plate. Soto, who seemingly carried the Yankees lineup himself in Game 2, destroyed it for a 386-foot homer to right.
Yamamoto did not allow another base runner.
“I would say that this start for me was probably a little bit better in the sense (that) we didn’t have to navigate Soto back at Yankee Stadium either,” Roberts said, referring to Soto missing that June game with an injury. “Obviously on this stage, he was fantastic tonight.”
“I’m just really proud of him, where he started and where he is now,” Mookie Betts said.
The Yankees entered the series with what appeared to be a clear starting pitching advantage. The Dodgers managed to suppress that through two nights in Los Angeles, stealing a win in Game 1 after Gerrit Cole allowed just one run in six innings (Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty went 5 1/3 innings, allowing just two runs) and chasing another nine-figure starter in Carlos Rodón before he even complete the fourth inning on Saturday.
The Yankees’ advantage should, on paper, be greater in Games 3 and 4, where they will start Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil; the Dodgers will counter with Walker Buehler and a bullpen game after already asking two outings out of Blake Treinen (55 pitches), Michael Kopech (24 pitches), Anthony Banda (32 pitches) and Alex Vesia (17 pitches) through the series’ first two games.
What Yamamoto has done, along with Flaherty, is provide the Dodgers’ strong position — up 2-0 in the series no matter what.
(Top photo of Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
