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The Los Angeles Dodgers head East with a dominant 2-0 lead in the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees. The National League champions won both games at home and on Saturday, starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto played a massive part.
The Japanese righty tossed 6.1 innings of one-run baseball, allowing just one hit — a solo home run from Juan Soto. Yamamoto kept the Dodgers in this one, who ultimately won 4-2. Following the contest, both Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts praised the 26-year-old for rising to the occasion on the big stage.
Via Fox Sports:
“From pitch one, you knew he had his good stuff all night,” Freeman, said after Los Angeles' 4-2 Game 2 win. “Just an awesome first start in a World Series, everything we needed out of him. He delivered.”
“I'm really proud of him,” Betts said.
“Yamamoto,” Freeman said, “was absolutely incredible.”
Yamamoto was truly lights out. He struck out four and walked just two hitters, keeping a powerful Yankees lineup at bay. The right-hander also threw a gem against New York earlier in the season, tossing seven scoreless frames in the Bronx. The Dodgers will be feeling very confident in Yamamoto if he gets the chance to take the hill again in this series.
The Dodgers signed him to a $325 million deal for moments like this. Despite only making 18 starts during the regular season due to a shoulder injury, Yamamoto delivered when his team needed him most. Plus, he's used to pitching under the bright lights. Yamamoto has done it many times with his national team and in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
While Yamamoto typically relies on his slider to get swings and misses, 10 of his 12 whiffs in Game 2 came from the four-seam fastball, which he was painting the corners with.
Yamamoto was all the Dodgers could've asked for on Saturday and he continues to impress his superstar teammates. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday evening at Yankee Stadium.
