Yamamoto's Shortest Postseason Outing Ends Early in NLCS Game 2
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was removed in the third inning after struggling against the Brewers, marking his quickest playoff exit.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto experienced the shortest postseason outing of his career in Game 2 of the NLCS on Monday night. Yamamoto was removed from the game in the third inning after pitching 2 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks, with one strikeout.
This marks the earliest exit for Yamamoto in his playoff career, surpassing his previous shortest outing in the 2024 postseason against the San Diego Padres. The struggles began in the third inning with the game tied 1-1, as the Brewers worked Yamamoto's count effectively.
A pivotal moment occurred during a 12-pitch at-bat between Yamamoto and Jake Bauers. Bauers fouled off six consecutive pitches before drawing a walk, loading the bases. This extended battle, reportedly the longest at-bat of Bauers' career, preceded Yamamoto facing additional batters. He then surrendered a two-RBI single to Christian Yelich, giving the Milwaukee Brewers a 3-2 lead.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the decision to pull Yamamoto at that point, stating, "For me, I felt we had to stop the damage right there." Left-handed specialist Alex Vesia entered the game in relief and ended the inning by striking out Garrett Mitchell.
The Dodgers managed to tie the game in the fifth inning with two runs, aided by an error from Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson. The game was expected to become a lengthy contest decided by the bullpens, similar to Game 1 of the series.