The Dodgers starting pitching has been nearly unhittable this week, and the trend continued on Saturday with Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossing a season-high eight innings against the Angels.
Although Yamamoto couldn’t compare to Roki Sasaki’s 10 strikeouts from the game before, Yamamoto retired 22 hitters in a row and had a comfortable eight-run lead to work with over his final seven innings on Saturday. The strikeouts were once again low, punching out four after he struck out 10 in his previous start against
the Philadelphia Phillies, but he has shown remarkable results over his last four starts, posting a 0.99 ERA in that span.
Being able to navigate through the game while not having the strikeout stuff was something that Dave Roberts is expecting of his rotation, and Yamamoto was able to execute that plan on Saturday, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
Coming into the matchup, manager Dave Roberts had recently emphasized the importance of a pitcher navigating Major League lineups when they do not have their absolute best feel for their pitches, calling it a true indicator of a high-level starter. By adjusting after a challenging opening frame, Yamamoto executed exactly that strategy on Saturday night.
Andy Pages helped ensure that Yamamoto would get a lead to work with, and at the very least some run support, as he launched a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Dodgers a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
Pages spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA about Yamamoto’s performance, noting that they’re always surprised with what he’s able to accomplish on the mound.
“We know the caliber of player he is. We know what kind of level he’ll take it to each and every day. He keeps surprising us each time he goes out and takes a turn. It was really nice to see him do what he did tonight.”
Will Smith was a late scratch before Saturday’s game due to neck stiffness, but he is expected to be back in the lineup for the series finale, notes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
Just a few Myles away
Los Angeles professional sports teams have emerged as the winners of blockbuster trades and signings. The Dodgers did so with the signing of Shohei Ohtani;,the Lakers pulled off a heist for Luka Dončić, and the Rams recently completed a blockbuster trade to land the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns off the heals of breaking the single-season sack record.
Garrett was at Dodger Stadium to throw out the first pitch before Saturday’s win over the Angels, and he had a moment to talk with David Vassegh of AM 570 about getting acclimated to Los Angeles.
“There’s a lot of great energy buzzing around. I’m really appreciative because this is an awesome atmosphere for football.”
The Dodgers have set the new standard for winning in the city, and the Rams are hoping to bring back the Lombardi trophy at SoFi Stadium in 2027.
