Fastball

Rookie Makes Incredible Los Angeles Dodgers History This Week Because of Pinpoint Control

When the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night, Dodgers' rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto did something never done by any Dodgers pitcher in the 2000s.

Brady Farkas

May 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18)
May 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Remember earlier this week, on Tuesday, when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins?

The score was 8-2 and Max Muncy hit a first-inning grand slam, which was made to last by another great outing from rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Well, in that start, Yamamoto made some incredible Dodgers history because of his pinpoint control early.

Per @MLBStats on social media:

Yoshinobu Yamamoto casually starts the game with 19 STRAIGHT STRIKES.

No @Dodgers pitcher on record has done this since pitch-tracking data began in 2000.

Velocity is great, and so is pitch movement, but the ability to simply throw strikes will always set you up for success. Yamamoto dominated in that outing, going eight innings, allowing just two runs and striking out five.

Ever since a disastrous start in Korea to open the season, Yamamoto has been excellent. He's now 4-1 for the season with a 2.79 ERA. He signed a 12-year, $325 million deal this offseason after a decorated career in Japan.

Yamamoto's emergence has also been paramount for the Dodgers, who have dealt with rotation injuries all year. Clayton Kershaw is still out, as is Tony Gonsolin. Walker Buehler just came back to make his first start in nearly two years this past Monday.

Los Angeles is now 26-13 on the season and remains one of the World Series favorites in the National League. They are seeking their first World Series title since 2020.

The Dodgers will be off on Thursday before heading to San Diego to take on the division-rival Padres on Friday night. First pitch in that game is 9:40 p.m. ET.

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Brady Farkas

BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady.