Bevy of WBC, Olympics experience powers Yamamoto in 1st MLB postseason

LOS ANGELES -- In March 2023, about nine months before the Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a record-setting contract, L.A. catcher Austin Barnes got an up-close look at how the talented young arm would fare in a high-stakes situation.

It was the semifinal round of the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park, a thriller between Japan and Mexico that ended with the Samurai Japan squad victorious en route to the country's third title in the tournament. Yamamoto came on in relief in that game -- and retired his future batterymate, Barnes, twice.

"It wasn't that fun facing him in the World Baseball Classic," Barnes said. "Not knowing too much about him, and he had that splitty that just kind of dances at you. He was really good."

Now, Yamamoto is set to get his first taste of MLB postseason action after drawing the Game 1 start against the Padres to open the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium.

Trade Deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty had initially been announced as the starter for the series opener, with Yamamoto slated to take the ball for Game 2. But Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman announced on Thursday that Flaherty and Yamamoto would be flipped with an eye on having both arms available for a potential Game 5 should the best-of-five series go all the way.

"He's still seasoned as far as pitching in big ball games," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Yamamoto. "I'm confident in talent. I think the heartbeat will be fine in his first playoff game."

Yamamoto's résumé in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and in international competition speaks for itself. In addition to his WBC experience, the 26-year-old right-hander pitched in the Japan Series, NPB's championship round, with the Orix Buffaloes from 2021-23 -- and his team won it all in 2022.

Yamamoto also led his country to victory during the 2020 Tokyo Games, helping Japan go 5-0 to earn its first Olympic gold medal in baseball. He was even named to the All-Olympic Team after going 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 18 strikeouts in two games.

"The experience back in Japan -- Japan Series and the World Baseball Classic -- other big games will definitely help, and I'd like to utilize it," Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. "However, I'd just like to think that this playoff game is just one normal game."

Now comes the pressure test in the postseason. The Dodgers took the risk of signing Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract before he threw a pitch in the big leagues because they believed he could anchor their rotation when the stakes are highest.

In his first MLB season, Yamamoto has shown promise, posting a 3.00 ERA across 18 starts and striking out 105 against 22 walks in 90 innings. There has been plenty to like, but one performance in particular has convinced the Dodgers that he is ready to meet the moment.

Facing the Yankees in the Bronx on June 7 -- when New York owned the second-best record in the Majors at 45-20 -- Yamamoto put together arguably his finest big league start yet, striking out seven across seven scoreless innings while allowing only two hits.

"To go into a hostile environment like that and see him elevate his game," Friedman said. "We talked about it at the time, that’s not an easy thing to do. … The one thing that we feel really confident about is the moment is not going to affect him. He’s going to take it in and feed on that adrenaline and do what he does.”

Yamamoto had a little extra on his stuff that night against the Yankees, as he maxed out at a season-high 98.4 mph on his four-seamer -- which averaged 95.5 mph on the year. That was one start before Yamamoto sustained the triceps injury that cost him about three months of his rookie season, but he said he felt more or less back to his normal self in four September starts since coming off the injured list.

Now, he's trying to prepare as usual with the biggest start yet of his Major League career looming.

"I like to focus on, of course, winning," Yamamoto said. "And I want to get myself ready to go out there with a good condition, physically and mentally. … This is my first MLB playoffs, so it's going to be a big one because I'm going to try to do my best to contribute for the team."