Dodgers' Max Muncy Believes Yoshinobu Yamamoto Can Still Get Better

Oct 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts after game two of the NLCS round against the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Dodgers are headed back to Los Angeles with a two-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series thanks to a dominant performance from starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Making his third start of the postseason, Yamamoto pitched the entire game, allowing just three hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out seven batters. Yamamoto's lone earned run came from a solo home run surrendered on his very first pitch of the game.

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Yamamoto's feat was the first complete game in the postseason since Justin Verlander pitched a full nine innings in 2017. The complete game comes just one day after starting pitcher Blake Snell tossed eight innings and, according to Snell, could have also possibly gone the full nine.

The Dodgers have the ultimate luxury of having a mix of truly elite starting pitchers on their roster, including both Yamamoto and Snell. The scary thing is, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said after the game that Yamamoto is likely to get even better.

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"I think it's the most comfortable I've seen him for sure. The more I've gotten to know him, the more I still think there's more in there," Muncy told reporters. "And I think he thinks there's more in there too, which is really hard to say because he's been incredible this year. He's been our most reliable guy.

"Going all the way back to last year in the postseason, he's been our guy through the postseason. And he looks really, really good. But like I said, to me, it's the most comfortable I've seen him. You make that transition. You come to a new country, a new baseball league, it's really, really tough."

After finishing his rookie season with a 3.00 regular season ERA and a 2-0 record as a starter in the postseason, Yamamoto ended his 2025 campaign with a 2.49 and a 12-8 record as a starter. In the playoffs, Yamamoto has allowed just four earned runs across 19.2 innings pitched, and continues to affirm his teammates' trust in him.

"I think it took him a little bit last year to find that groove," Muncy said. "The way he showed up in spring this year, you could definitely tell he was a lot more comfortable being around the guys, just how everything works, the season. And this year he's taken it to a whole other level.

"Despite that I think there's more in there for him. He's just incredible the way he goes about pitching, the way he goes about pitching, goes about attacking hitters, the number of pitches he can throw, the number of pitches he can command, it's really, really impressive."

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