LOS ANGELES \u2014 Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched well enough to win on Wednesday afternoon. He just did not get any help from the bats. In the Dodgers\u2019 4-1 loss to Cleveland, Yamamoto worked through six innings, allowed only two hits, and gave up two earned runs in one rough third inning that decided the game. Afterward, he sounded like a pitcher who knew he was close to his best stuff without quite having all of it.<\/p>\n
Finding a Way to Get Outs<\/p>\n
Speaking in Japanese, Yamamoto said his outing was solid, even if it was not exactly the kind of day where everything felt perfect from the first pitch. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t like my stuff was bad overall. I did have runners on base, but I was able to keep throwing strikes, so in that sense I was able to do the minimum I needed to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was pretty much the shape of his outing. He worked around traffic, kept the Guardians from piling on, and gave the Dodgers a chance to stay in the game. When he was asked about his command, Yamamoto said, \u201cThere were some pitches that were good, and some where I felt I still needed a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, he also saw some value in getting through six innings on a day that was more of a grind than a cruise. \u201cThe feel itself, especially with the splitter, was really close, like just a little more. Overall, I think things are coming along in a good way. But in terms of the flow of the game, I gave up the first run, and after the last outing too, that\u2019s something I need to reflect on. The good part is that I was able to get through the sixth inning, so I think that was good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yoshi also did not lose sight of what he accomplished. Six innings, two hits, two earned runs. On a day when the Dodgers could barely solve Gavin Williams, that should have been enough to keep them in position to win the ballgame.<\/p>\n
Trouble in the Third<\/p>\n
When the questions turned to the third inning, Yamamoto was just as direct. He said Cleveland\u2019s hitters came in with a plan. \u201cI felt like they were doing a good job of really narrowing down the pitches they were looking for.\u201d Then he went back to the leadoff double that set the inning in motion. \u201cGiving up the extra-base hit to the leadoff hitter was really frustrating. After that, the home run was on a curveball, and I keep thinking if I had gotten it just a little better to a better spot, maybe it falls in front of the fence. There are a lot of things for me to reflect on.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is probably the sequence he will carry with him into his next side session. The double hurt. The throwing error while trying to catch the runner leaning toward third made the inning even messier. Then came the homer. All of it happened fast. After that, Yamamoto settled back in and gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed from there, but the damage had already been done.<\/p>\n
Being a Part of History<\/p>\n
He also got asked about the historic angle of the series, with three Japanese-born pitchers starting for the Dodgers in one series. Yamamoto, still answering in Japanese, said, \u201cIt\u2019s the first time that\u2019s ever happened, so I think it\u2019s something special. It might happen again in the future, and I want to keep working so that the three of us can all have good outings together.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was one of the nicer moments from his postgame comments. Yamamoto tends to keep things measured, but you could tell he understood the significance of it. This series was not just another early-season matchup. It was a small piece of baseball history, and he clearly took pride in being part of it.<\/p>\n
Facing a Samurai Teammate<\/p>\n
There were a couple of lighter moments too. On the topic potentially facing Kazuma Okamoto when the Dodgers head to Toronto, and he smiled a little at that possibility while still sounding serious about the challenge. \u201cPart of me is looking forward to it a little, but he\u2019s a really good hitter. He was that way in Japan too, so I want to work hard this week and be ready to get him out.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, on the night after the \u201cYoshi\u201d bobblehead giveaway, the conversation drifted to Nintendo and old video games. Yamamoto, who it\u2019s hard to picture doing anything other than pitching or thinking about pitching, acknowledged he was a bit of a gamer back in the day. Asked if he played Mario growing up, he said, \u201cA long time ago. Back in elementary school, I had games.\u201d Asked which system, he said, \u201cNintendo DS.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is probably a fitting little detail to end on. Yamamoto had just taken a hard-luck loss in a game where he gave up two hits over six innings, and he still handled the whole session with the same steady, thoughtful vibe he brings to the mound. He knew this was not his sharpest day. He also knew it was a day where he competed, limited damage, and gave his team a chance. If the Dodgers had done anything at all against Williams before the ninth, this postgame probably feels very different. Instead, Yamamoto walked away with a loss attached to one of the better \u201cgrind through it\u201d starts you will see all week.<\/p>\n
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