by Megan Garcia
The smattering of applause slowly gained momentum with each step he took. The leather glove rested on his left hip and his right hand swayed back and forth. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was ready to warm up for a Major League game.
The journey to return to the Dodger Stadium mound has been a windy road. Nearly three months on the injured list with triceps tightness left Yamamoto watching his teammates win from the dugout. He wanted to be in a real game, he wanted to win and he was ready to be back.
“I don’t think anyone knows where his stuff is going to be as far as commanding of the fastball and the secondary,” manager Dave Roberts said ahead of Yamamoto’s start. “I’m betting on the fact that the lights are on and he’s going to go out there and show.”
Yamamoto did just that.
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The pitch count upon his return was set to the 50–60 range — whatever happened throughout those pitches was up to Yamamoto.
His first 15 pitches struck out the Cubs in order in the first inning. He was tested during the subsequent 22 pitches in the second inning with three singles; however, two strikeouts and a flyout limited Chicago to just one run.
Quickly approaching the 50-pitch mark, Yamamoto used 14 pitches in the third inning to strike out the side in order again. Seven pitches later in the fourth inning, Yamamoto embraced Roberts as he stood on the top step of the Dodgers’ dugout.
“Today’s outing turned out much better than I expected,” Yamamoto said. “I think that’s because of what I was doing during rehab. It’s more of a relief today. I got to come back and finish what I needed to.”
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He pitched four innings, struck out eight batters, allowed one earned run and didn’t issue a walk. His job was done.
“I’ve been wanting to come back as soon as I can,” Yamamoto said the day prior to his start. “Watching my teammates accumulate wins, I just wanted to go back.”
His pitching line during the Dodgers’ 6–3 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday was a glimpse of what may come in October. Yamamoto is one of the many centerpieces to help the Dodgers win it all — both present and future.
“Speaking honestly, I didn’t know what to expect,” Roberts said after the game. “He really showed out, but I didn’t know if there was going to be rust or how he was going to command the baseball, but he passed with flying colors.”
His first year as a Dodger has involved fewer outings than predicted, but a healthy version of Yamamoto showed up against a Cubs lineup grasping for a chance at the postseason. This version of the rookie pitcher may be the key to a deep run in October in a starting rotation that has required depth.
“(I don’t know the number) of outings I have this month ahead of me,” Yamamoto said. “Right now, I’m just doing it one game at a time. That’s how I’ll get myself ready for the postseason.”
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The return of Yoshinobu Yamamoto was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.