Proper-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched like 1,000,000 bucks for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Recreation 2 of the World Sequence, identical to they wanted him to so as to bounce again from a blowout loss the day earlier than, and sq. up the best-of-seven set.
Yamamoto really pitched extra like 375 million bucks, roughly the dedication paid or owed by the Dodgers in charges and wage so as to pry him away from the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Pacific League earlier than the 2024 season. Yamamoto’s deal in Main League Baseball makes him, actually, the costliest pitcher ever.
The Dodgers have to be OK with having gone to the expense, contemplating Yamamoto already helped them win the World Sequence in ’24, that he completed fourth within the majors in ERA this previous common season, and with him compiling a formidable monitor file over eight profession postseason appearances up to now.
Regardless of how anybody characterizes Yamamoto’s price ticket, he was the driving pressure in L.A.’s 5-1 victory towards the Toronto Blue Jays on the Rogers Centre on Saturday night time.
Eleven days after throwing an entire sport to complete off the Milwaukee Brewers within the Nationwide League Championship Sequence, he carried out virtually identically as properly towards the Jays. Yamamoto pitched a four-hitter, strolling none, hitting a batter (unfortunate George Springer) and putting out eight. He retired his last 20 batters and completed having thrown 105 pitches, that means Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts had no excuses to even look at his bullpen, a lot much less undo any of the deadbolt locks on the gate.
His full sport was the primary within the World Sequence since Kansas Metropolis Royals righty Johnny Cueto in 2015, and Yamamoto is the primary particular person since Curt Schilling 24 years in the past to pitch back-to-back full video games within the postseason. Schilling really did it in three straight video games. If Yamamoto is ready to equal Schilling on this Sequence, the Dodgers are more likely to get one other championship parade. The Jays and Dodgers resume with Recreation 3 on Tuesday night time at Dodger Stadium.
The Blue Jays, competing within the World Sequence for the primary time in 32 years, hoped to proceed their hitting dominance from Recreation 1 after they blitzed Dodgers pitchers for 11 runs. They put the primary two batters aboard within the backside of the primary towards Yamamoto, saved working counts towards him, and made him throw 23 pitches — however Toronto could not rating any runs.
“That was in all probability our greatest likelihood,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “After that, he made it exhausting for us to make him work.”
Yamamoto generated 17 swings-and-misses, together with his only pitch in all probability being the curveball, among the many six completely different sorts of pitches he threw.
Jays righty Kevin Gausman matched Yamamoto till the highest of the seventh, when the Dodgers lineup succeeded the third time round. Will Smith broke a 1-1 tie with a solo residence run and, with two outs, Max Muncy went reverse area with one other solo shot to make it 3-1.
The Dodgers added two extra runs towards Toronto’s bullpen to present Yamamoto extra cushion than he would want. Yamamoto struck out the facet within the eighth earlier than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho put the ball in play however to no avail within the ninth.
Yamamoto wished to set issues proper for the Dodgers after Toronto’s lineup dominated Recreation 1.
“That is a giant loss, after which evidently, at this time’s sport, we needed to win,” Yamamoto mentioned.
He may need stunned even himself in ending off the Jays, contemplating his first inning struggles.
“To be trustworthy, I used to be not pondering I can full the sport as a result of my pitch rely racked up type of rapidly,” Yamamoto mentioned. “However I am very completely satisfied I accomplished the sport.”
Performances like this could not shock anybody. Regardless of if it is in MLB or NPB, Yamamoto repeatedly has demonstrated an inherent ability to pitch within the greatest video games regardless of the league, nation or hemisphere.
He is a person of the world, the costliest pitcher in it and, up to now, value each little bit of his contract.