The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series due in large part to Yoshinobu Yamamoto\u2019s historic 2025 postseason.<\/p>\n
The right-hander went the distance in Game 2 and then earned the win in two consecutive elimination matchups on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays. He tossed 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen in a winner-take-all Game 7 just one day after getting through six in a start.<\/p>\n
Yamamoto has now won World Series titles in each of his first two seasons with the Dodgers. He won the championship game as a member of Samurai Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and the Japan Series with the Orix Buffaloes the year before that.<\/p>\n
During an appearance on \u201cBaseball & Coffee\u201d with Adam Ottavino<\/a>, Los Angeles Dodgers free agent Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez called Yamamoto a winner and shared how much he enjoyed hearing how determined he was to avoid losing:<\/p>\n \u201cHe did six years over there? I think that\u2019s how it works with the posting system. Either six or seven. And he\u2019s got his two years here. He has won the championship more than half of his years at the big league level, whether in Japan or the U.S. The guy is a winner. He wins everywhere he goes. He won the WBC. The guy is a winner. That quote, \u2018Losing is not an option,\u2019 when he said that [expletive] in the press conference, I had the goosebumps. I was like, \u2018Oh, baby. Talk dirty to me. I freaking love this [expletive].\u2019 That\u2019s Yama.\u201d<\/p>\n Yamamoto famously told his teammates that \u201closing is not an option\u201d before his complete game against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.<\/p>\n The message resonated throughout the Dodgers\u2019 clubhouse as Hern\u00e1ndez wore a t-shirt with the words on it before the team\u2019s Game 7 matchup at Rogers Centre.<\/p>\n Yamamoto lived up to that mantra as he posted a 1.02 ERA and 0.68 WHIP with 15 strikeouts against two walks in 17.2 innings across his three appearances against the Blue Jays en route to being named World Series MVP<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kik\u00e9 Hern\u00e1ndez impressed by Yoshinobu Yamamoto\u2019s routine<\/p>\n When Yamamoto made the jump to Major League Baseball two years ago, he brought with him one of the most unique training routines for any pitcher.<\/p>\n Yamamoto does not lift weights and rather focuses on a combination of breathing, flexibility and yoga-style drills.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old also notably uses javelins to train the correct throwing path and force transfer from the ground up in an effort to reduce stress on his arm.<\/p>\n During the same podcast appearance, Hern\u00e1ndez marveled at Yamamoto\u2019s training routine and believes it has held up so far.<\/p>\n