The Los Angeles Dodgers got blown out 10-2 by the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the 2024 NLDS, which now makes the prospects of the series going the full five games real. Now that an elongated series is likely, should the Dodgers be worried about what their predicament will look like in a potential series finale?
Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s playoff debut was concerning
The Dodgers started star rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto in their 7-5 Game 1 win over the Padres. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the move to ensure that both Yamamoto and stand-in ace Jack Flaherty would be able to play twice, seeing that the Japanese sensation requires five days of rest in between starts. Despite exercising sound strategy, the 26-year-old righty nearly cost the Dodgers Game 1 before things even got rolling, as he allowed five earned runs in a mere three innings of work.
Further, per MLB.com’s Brian Murphy, Roberts stated after the game that Yamamoto may have been tipping pitches, which contributed to his uncharacteristic struggles (h/t Maren Angus-Coombs of Los Angeles Dodgers on SI):
“There are some things that I think we’re going to dig into, because I think at second base they had some things with his glove [that were] giving away some pitches,” Roberts said. “We’re going to clean that up. That’s part of baseball. So it’s on us to kind of clean that up and not give away what pitch he’s going to throw.”
Moreso, the 5-10, 176-pound talent stated that he may have overexerted himself on the mound too. Thus, this all begs the question — will Yamamoto be at his best to close the show for Los Angeles if the series comes to a winner-take-all conclusion?
Yamamoto has struggled against the Padres all year long
Yamamoto missed nearly three months during the regular season with a shoulder injury sustained against the Kansas City Royals on June 15, and returned on Sept. 10 to make four final starts in lead up to the 2024 MLB playoffs. Not once did he last more than five innings on the mound, and, though he sported a sub-.300 ERA in three of those four outings and six-plus strikeouts in two, he has not looked like the nonpareil talent that the Dodgers paid $325 million for last offseason.
There are several variables that are hanging over the Dodgers’ heads as the series shifts to San Diego for Games 3 and 4. For one, L.A. is already running thin in their starting pitching rotation without ace Tyler Glasnow, or Gavin Stone and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers don’t necessarily have the luxury of employing another starter to spell for Yamamoto. Secondly, given the rest time he requires, moving him over to a start in Game 4 would only work for Flaherty, but not for him on three game’s rest.
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Not to mention, Yamamoto has had bad showings against the Padres all year long. His highly anticipated MLB debut went sour when he conceded five earned runs in one inning of the Dodgers’ 15-11 loss to the Padres on March 21, and he was not able to get back at San Diego in his second appearance against them, giving up three earned runs with a 4.50 ERA in their narrow 8-7 loss on April 12. Though those losses were early in the regular season campaign, they still show that Yamamoto has struggled to keep up with the most effective hitting team in all of the Majors.
Has Yamamoto given the Dodgers enough confidence that he can clinch the series?
Thus, Los Angeles will take things one game at a time as they look to silence San Diego and advance to the 2024 NLCS. Nevertheless, foresight cannot be fully suppressed, and the forecast shows that the Dodgers may have some cause to pause if the series goes to Game 5. Yamamoto has the talent to completely stymie the Padres in any given game.
But, his track record does not back up those gifts that he has, and neither does his health and maintenance program work in his favor. Therefore, the Dodgers should look to close the show in short order for more reasons than one, which will also give the NPB product more rest time for an increasingly pivotal NLCS slugfest.
