The San Diego Padres will now face Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday. Yamamoto will start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1, with the Dodgers changing from their expected plan to start Jack Flaherty in Game 1.
The Dodgers are in part starting Yamamoto in Game 1 to give the team the option of starting him again if the series goes to five games. While Yamamoto has not started on just four days rest before, Dodgers' Andrew Friedman believes he could be able to pitch in that scenario, via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register.
On the Padres side, Dylan Cease is expected to start Game 1 of the NLDS.
Yamamoto has pitched against the Padres twice in his rookie season. The 25-year-old started his first career MLB game against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea for the Seoul Series. It was easily the worst start of his young MLB career. During that start, Yamamoto allowed four hits, five earned runs, and one walk — all just in one inning. Yamamoto was taken out of the game, and the Padres went on to win 15-11.
Yamamoto started against the Padres once again on April 12. That time, he pitched five full innings but did give up four hits, three earned runs, and two home runs while striking out six. The Padres won again, earning an 8-7 victory in 11 innings.
Padres third baseman Manny Machado had considerable success facing Yamamoto in both games. In the first game, Yamamoto walked Machado. Machado later ran in thanks to a double from Luis Campusano. In the second game, Machado hit a first-inning home run against Yamamoto. The six-time All-Star is of course one of the best in the business in general, but a player Yamamoto will have to take extra caution pitching against.
Neither start was great, but it has been months since Yamamoto went up against San Diego. Overall on the season, Yamamoto started 18 games and went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He did miss the entire months of July and August because of a strained rotator cuff injury but is one of the Dodgers' top two starters for the 2024 season as a whole.
Yamamoto has given up a combined six earned runs over his two most recent starts, which the Padres could be able to take advantage of this Saturday.
