Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Friday night that Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be unavailable to pitch in Saturday’s Game 7.
That may not be the case anymore.
More news: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Reveals His Plan for World Series Game 7
Yamamoto was spotted warming up at the Rogers Centre ahead of Game 7. Roberts said he could potentially be an option to pitch.
“We’ll see how he is in catch play,” Roberts said. “But he said if he feels good, he’s definitely interested.”
Roberts was asked what it means from Yamamoto to be open to pitch one day after throwing 96 pitches.
“Character. Compete. All of the above,” Roberts said. “It’s past the physical. This is the mental part of it, where he’s as strong mentally a guy as I’ve seen.”
Roberts is talking about a guy who has thrown 492 pitches through the month of October. Someone who tossed back-to-back complete games in the postseason, the latter of which was instrumental in securing Game 2 of the World Series.
Yamamoto not only threw nine innings during Game 2, but two days later, was seen warming up in the bullpen in case his team ran out of relief pitchers, something that was very close to happening if not for Will Klein’s four scoreless innings and a Freddie Freeman walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning of Game 3.
For Yamamoto to even consider entering the 18-inning contest after a complete game two days prior speaks to what Roberts was talking about, the mental side of his game. The mindset of being the ace of the defending champions is just as important as the on-field product, something Yamamoto has also excelled at this postseason.
The aforementioned 492 pitches took place over five appearances. Yamamoto went 4-1 this postseason with a 1.56 ERA, striking out 32 and walking just five batters through those 34.2 innings.
Even if Yamamoto is unused for Game 7, making himself available for his teammates is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
More news: Dodgers Lineup for World Series Game 7 Revealed
Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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