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The Los Angeles Dodgers is expected to have pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the playoffs, but manager Dave Roberts said he will have to make some changes to the rotation as a result.
Roberts has been without Yamamoto, the Dodgers' second-biggest free-agent signing of last offseason, for more than three months after straining his rotator cuff. But ahead of the MLB Playoffs, Yamamoto is gearing up to return.
The risk of reinjury or tiring out Yamamoto after a three-month layoff is a concern, so Roberts said he has a plan to help his pitcher in the postseason.
“The Dodgers won’t pitch starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto on less than five days’ rest in the postseason, manager Dave Roberts says, meaning they will need four starters, even in the best-of-five series,” USA Today's Bob Nightengale writes.
Dodgers in NL pennant race without Yoshinobu Yamamoto
In his first MLB season after arriving from Japan, Yamamoto needed little time to adjust. In the two or so months he did play for the Dodgers, Yamamoto started 16 games, winning six, and recorded a 2.63 ERA, which is top five in the NL among players who have pitched 80 innings this season.
In his absence, the Dodgers locked up the NL West and are in a race with the Philadelphia Phillies for the top spot in the National League. With seven games to go, Los Angeles and Philadelphia are currently tied at the top of the league with identical 92-63 records.
The Dodgers' pitching staff this season has been slightly above or below the MLB average, although that might be a good thing considering the number of injuries it has endured this season. In addition to Yamamoto, who was expected to be the team's ace after signing a 12-year, $325 million contract during the winter, Los Angeles saw Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan, Dustin May, and River Ryan pick up injuries. Additionally, Clayton Kershaw has played a fraction of the season because of offseason surgery and a recent unrelated injury, and Tony Gonsolin has yet to return to MLB after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year.
As a result, Yamamoto's return could be a boon for the Dodgers, who look to make it back to the World Series after falling in the NLDS each of the last two seasons. After winning the World Sereies in the abbreviated 2020 season, L.A. lost to the Atlanta Braves in the 2021 NLCS before losing to the San Diego Padres in four games and Arizona Diamondbacks in a sweep in the NLDS in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
The Dodgers finish up their regular season with four games vs. the Colorado Rockies and three vs. the Padres.
