Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered the single worst outing of his spectacular, historic postseason career on Monday, pitching a meager 2 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers and pushing the back-to-back champion Dodgers into a massive 0-2 hole in their NLCS. It’s a shocking start to the series that has everyone in DodgerLand scratching their heads.
The Ace Who Had No Answers
This wasn’t just any stinker, folks. This was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the reigning 2025 World Series MVP, the guy with the second-lowest postseason ERA in MLB history among pitchers with at least 10 playoff starts. He’s usually a robot out there, metronomic, almost too perfect. But on Monday, he only lasted 2 2/3 innings, his shortest October start ever, recording a paltry eight outs and coughing up three earned runs. He even admitted, through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda, “I don’t know the exact reason yet. I need to check the videos, and then I can reflect on what happened today.” Bewilderment, that’s what was etched on his face, wearing that blue Dodgers hoodie. If they don’t turn things around back at Chavez Ravine, this might be the start he dwells on all winter. A Game 6 back at American Family Field? That’s not even a certainty anymore.
Offense Goes Silent, Dynasty On The Brink
It wasn’t just Yamamoto’s rare collapse that buried the Dodgers in a disheartening 7-4 defeat. Manager Dave Roberts didn’t pull any punches after the game, admitting, “Well, we threw out three hits tonight …” He was clearly as confused as everyone else in DodgerLand, adding, “Some of it was the starter, some of it the bullpen. I don’t have an answer why.” This isn’t how the back-to-back champs are supposed to operate. This is a team that’s gone 8-0 in postseason series since adding Shohei Ohtani and Yamamoto after their shocking 2023 NLDS exit. Back then, Ohtani was still an Anaheim Angel, Kyle Tucker was a Houston Astro, and Yamamoto was an Orix Buffalo. Now, they’re down 0-2, a feeling they haven’t experienced in the postseason since that ’23 stumble against a less talented Arizona Diamondbacks squad.
The Brewers’ lineup, though, deserves a ton of credit for their relentless attack. They made Game 2 a war of attrition, grinding Yamamoto down pitch by pitch. William Contreras slammed an RBI single in a rocky first inning that saw Yamamoto throw 25 pitches. The third inning was even worse. David Hamilton had a six-pitch single, Brice Turang drew a six-pitch walk, and Contreras had a seven-pitch flyout. Then Jake Bauers stepped up for an epic 12-pitch showdown, eventually drawing a bases-loading walk that just squeezed Yamamoto dry. Christian Yelich delivered the final knockout blow, a go-ahead single that put Milwaukee up 3-2 and sent Yamamoto to the dugout for good. The crowd in Wisconsin, sensing blood, waved him goodbye. You can’t make this stuff up.
The Dodgers now head home to Los Angeles, their backs against the wall, a dynasty hanging by a thread. They’ve got to win two ballgames this week at Chavez Ravine, or this whole thing could be over before they know it. What a turnaround this series has been, and now, we wait to see if these boogeymen have any fight left in them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply