• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

LA Sports Today

Los Angeles Sports News continuously updated

  • Football
    • Chargers
    • Rams
    • Wildcats
  • Baseball
    • Angels
    • Dodgers
  • Basketball
    • Clippers
    • Lakers
    • Sparks
  • Hockey
    • Ducks
    • Kings
  • Soccer
    • Angel City FC
    • Galaxy
    • Galaxy 2
    • LA FC
    • Orange County FC
  • College
    • UCLA
    • USC

NLCS: Early game success builds momentum for Yoshinobu Yamamoto

October 17, 2024 by Dodger Insider

Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates in Game 5 of the NLDS. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

by Cary Osborne

When Dodger pitching coach Mark Prior remembers Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s breakout Major League start at Yankee Stadium on June 7, he goes to the beginning.

Yamamoto threw an 0–2 pitch to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, who drove it to the wall in left field. Teoscar Hernández drifted back and caught the deep fly ball, splashing into the padded blue wall.

Yamamoto retired the next batter, Alex Verdugo, allowed a double to Aaron Judge, and then struck out Giancarlo Stanton to get out of the inning with a zero in the run column. Yamamoto threw seven shutout innings that night.

“He got through it. And then you can see just the momentum starting to build in that game,” Prior recalled. “And we’ve seen other ones where he kind of gets punched in the face. Sometimes he gets a little bit more tentative and is not as aggressive in the zone. So I think that’s it’s key with everybody, but getting through that first inning I think it’s a big one for him.”

Yamamoto, including the postseason, allowed no runs in the first inning 14 times out of his 20 starts. In those 14 games, he had a 1.73 ERA.

In all of his 20 starts, he had a 3.21 ERA.

“Being able to settle into the game is very important for me because giving up the first run of the game might affect the whole game,” Yamamoto said.

Three of those times Yamamoto was punched in the face — allowing a run to score in the first inning — was by the San Diego Padres. In those three games, he allowed a combined 13 earned runs in nine innings.

But in the Dodgers’ National League Division Series Game 5 win, he retired the top of the Padres lineup in order — Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar. From there, Yamamoto had traffic on the basepaths in the third inning — two singles. They were the only hits he allowed in five scoreless innings in the 2–0 victory.

“The thing I really like the most is his head on his shoulders,” said teammate Mookie Betts. “And I think he had a little nerves maybe early in the postseason. But right after that, you see how dominant he can be. So I’m glad he’s on our team.”

Opponents, including the postseason, are batting .301/.342/.534/.878 against Yamamoto on pitches 1–25.

After his 25th pitch, they are batting .200/.229/.331/.560.


NLCS: Early game success builds momentum for Yoshinobu Yamamoto was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Filed Under: Dodgers

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Lakers fall to Cooper Flagg, Mavericks in Las Vegas Summer League opener
  • Bronny James and Lakers come up short against Cooper Flagg and Mavericks
  • Former All-Star closer Alexis Díaz joins Dodgers’ bullpen
  • Dodgers toasting small moments has become big part of team culture
  • Angels’ Jack Kochanowicz roughed up again in lopsided loss to Rangers

Categories

Archives

Our Partners

All Sports

  • 247 Sports
  • Bleacher Report
  • LA Sports Hub
  • Los Angeles Daily News
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Los Angeles Sports Nation
  • Orange County Register
  • OurSports Central
  • The Sports Daily
  • The Sports Fan Journal
  • The Spun
  • USA Today

Baseball

  • MLB.com - Dodgers
  • MLB.com - Angels
  • Dodger Blue
  • Dodger Insider
  • Dodgers Nation
  • Dodgers Way
  • Halo Hangout
  • Halos Heaven
  • Last Word On Baseball - Angels
  • Last Word On Baseball - Dodgers
  • MLB Trade Rumors - Angels
  • MLB Trade Rumors - Dodgers
  • Think Blue LA
  • Think Blue PC
  • True Blue LA

Basketball

  • NBA.com - Clippers
  • NBA.com - Lakers
  • Amico Hoops - Clippers
  • Amico Hoops - Lakers
  • 213 Hoops
  • Clipperholics
  • Clips Nation
  • Forum Blue And Gold
  • High Post Hoops
  • Hoops Hype - Clippers
  • Hoops Hype - Lakers
  • Hoops Rumors - Clippers
  • Hoops Rumors - Lakers
  • Lake Show Life
  • Lakers Nation
  • Lakers Outsiders
  • Lakerholics.net
  • Last Word On Pro Basketball - Clippers
  • Last Word On Pro Basketball - Lakers
  • Pro Basketball Talk - Clippers
  • Pro Basketball Talk - Lakers
  • Real GM - Clippers
  • Real GM - Lakers
  • Silver Screen And Roll

Football

  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Bolt Beat
  • Bolts From The Blue
  • Chargers Gab
  • Chargers Wire
  • Last Word On Pro Football - Chargers
  • Last Word On Pro Football - Rams
  • NFL Trade Rumors - Chargers
  • NFL Trade Rumors - Rams
  • Our Turf Football - Chargers
  • Our Turf Football - Rams
  • Pro Football Focus - Chargers
  • Pro Football Focus - Rams
  • Pro Football Rumors - Chargers
  • Pro Football Rumors - Rams
  • Pro Football Talk - Chargers
  • Pro Football Talk - Rams
  • Ramblin Fan
  • Rams Gab
  • Rams Nation
  • Rams Wire
  • Turf Show Times

Hockey

  • Anaheim Calling
  • Elite Prospects - Ducks
  • Elite Prospects - Kings
  • Jewels From The Crown
  • Last Word On Hockey - Ducks
  • Last Word On Hockey - Kings
  • My NHL Trade Rumors - Anaheim Ducks
  • My NHL Trade Rumors - LA Kings
  • Pro Hockey Rumors - Ducks
  • Pro Hockey Rumors - Kings
  • Pro Hockey Talk - Ducks
  • Pro Hockey Talk - Kings
  • Pucks Of A Feather
  • Rink Royalty
  • The Hockey Writers - Ducks
  • The Hockey Writers - Kings

Soccer

  • Angels On Parade
  • LAG Confidential
  • Last Word On Soccer - LA Galaxy
  • Last Word On Soccer - Los Angeles FC
  • MLS Multiplex

College

  • Bruins Nation
  • Busting Brackets
  • College Football News
  • College Sports Madness
  • Conquest Chronicles
  • Go Joe Bruin
  • Last Word On College Football - UCLA
  • Last Word On College Football - USC
  • Reign Of Troy
  • Saturday Blitz
  • Zags Blog

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in