Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the guy the Dodgers were banking on to even up the NLCS after dropping Game 1, got absolutely shelled in Game 2, lasting less than three innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. This wasn’t the ace performance everyone expected, especially considering his track record, and it’s put Los Angeles in a serious early hole in the series.
The Brewers Made Yamamoto Work, And It Paid Off
Coming into Game 2, the Dodgers had to feel good with Yamamoto on the mound. He’s had some epic playoff moments, like throwing a complete game in Game 2 of the 2025 NLCS to put them up 2-0 in that series. Plus, his success in the 2024 and 2025 World Series runs made it seem like a bad postseason outing was a thing of the past. But man, every pitcher has a clunker, and this was Yamamoto’s.
He only made it through eight outs, getting pulled in the third inning after throwing a whopping 75 pitches. The Brewers made him earn every single one of those pitches, starting early by scoring a run off him in the bottom of the first. Dave Roberts didn’t waste any time pulling him to prevent further damage, ending a day that definitely didn’t go as planned for the Dodgers or their ace.
Milwaukee’s Relentless Attack in the Third Sunk Yamamoto
The real damage, though, came in that brutal third inning. David Hamilton started it off with a single, and then two batters later, Bryce Turang worked a walk to put two guys on base with just one out. William Contreras then grinded out a seven-pitch at-bat, making Yamamoto really work before ultimately flying out.
But it was Jake Bauers and Christian Yelich who delivered the knockout blows. Bauers fought through an insane 12-pitch walk, fouling off six pitches, to load the bases. Then Yelich stepped up and on just the second pitch he saw, he singled, pushing the Brewers to a 3-2 lead. That was it for Yamamoto. When he left, his line showed 2.2 innings pitched, 75 pitches thrown, 3 runs allowed, 1 strikeout, 4 hits, and 2 walks.
This Game 2 outing is now tied for the shortest of Yamamoto’s playoff career. Interestingly, he also threw 2.2 innings in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, but that one secured the Dodgers a title. His previous shortest start in the playoffs was his first ever postseason start in 2024, when he gave up five runs in three innings against the San Diego Padres. So yeah, this one wasn’t for a championship, and it didn’t feel good.
With the Dodgers now in a tough spot early in this NLCS, they’ve got to figure out who’s stepping up next. Every game is huge from here on out, and they’ll need a huge turnaround from their rotation moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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