by Megan Garcia
The Dodgers are in a precarious position for the first time in the postseason. Their backs are against the wall in a win-or-go-home Game 6 of the World Series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound for it.
This will also be the first time he’s has faced an opponent twice in a series this postseason.
Three games in Los Angeles reinforced what he learned about them in Game 2 of the Fall Classic.
“Needless to say, they’re a great lineup,” Yamamoto said. “So, I’m just going to get myself ready the best as possible, and then just face them.”
The last time Yamamoto pitched against a team twice in a postseason was in the 2024 National League Division Series against the Padres. The first match-up was soured by the Padres scoring five runs in three innings against him.
In Game 5, Yamamoto pitched five scoreless innings to help send the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series.
A year later, with added confidence and experience in big games, the right-hander is back in a similar position.
“I expect Yamamoto to throw well,” said manager Dave Roberts. “But we still got to take good at-bats and catch the baseball, convert outs. If we play a good clean game, I feel good about our chances.”
The Dodgers’ two consecutive losses in Los Angeles showed a need for the offense and pitching to match Toronto’s efforts. The Dodgers were outscored 12–3 in Games 4 and 5. The Dodgers have been outscored 23–7 in their three losses.
Yamamoto was brilliant in Game 2 with a complete-game performance, and the Dodger offense backed him with five runs. He struck out eight batters and allowed one run without issuing a walk. The Dodgers were able to tie the series with the 5–1 win.
He had a 30% whiff rate in Game 2. It was the highest swing and miss rate in a single game this postseason by the Blue Jays.
Now he pitches with the Dodgers in a potential elimination game for the first time this season.
“I think that there’s a fight in there. I know there’s more in there,” Roberts said. “We’ve won two games in a row, but again, it just comes down to one game. So, I think that we have been in a lot of elimination games, and we found a way to come to get to the other side.”
2025 World Series: Dodgers seek an encore Fall Classic performance by Yamamoto was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.