Unlikely Dodgers Teammate Turned Yoshinobu Yamamoto's Struggles Around Last Playoffs

Valentina Martinez | Apr 29, 2025

Apr 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) pitches in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has come so far in his sophomore MLB season, and is already a contender for the Cy Young award this year. However, Yamamoto's arrival to stateside baseball wasn't without a few growing pains.

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The Dodgers named Yamamoto as their Game 1 starter in the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres last season. The start was by no means ideal as the right-hander allowed five runs on four hits, including a two-run homer to Manny Machado, across three innings pitched.

There was speculation Yamamoto was tipping pitches in the postseason opener. While the right-hander evidently struggled after missing nearly three months of the season because of a shoulder injury, teammate Kiké Hernández noticed how off Yamamoto had been.

“He was kinda down after Game 1,” Hernández said to the LA Times' Jack Harris.

And so, Hernández took it upon himself to have a sit down conversation with the rookie Yamamoto.

“I just wanted to pick his brain,” Hernández said, “and know where his head was at.”

Nearly two hours later at a Starbucks, the veteran utility man discovered Yamamoto was battling an identity crisis as a Major League pitcher.

Who was Yamamoto in the big leagues and how would he showcase his best pitches each start? It was a question that plagued the then 25-year-old.

“I felt that he wasn’t very convicted with the pitches he was throwing,” Hernández said. “And he just mentioned that he was feeling a little overwhelmed.”

And so, Hernández provided some insight that seemingly infused confidence into Yamamoto for the remainder of October.

“I was like, ‘You are already one of the best pitchers on the planet,’” Hernández said. “But it still felt like there was more in there. And in order for him to come out and bring his best, he needed to be committed to the pitches he was throwing.”

The 2024 Dodgers season was special for several reasons, but one of the less obvious moments was the veteran leadership from Hernández on and off the field. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman heaped high praise for the fan favorite after the team re-signed Hernández this offseason.

"His connecting with different guys," Friedman said. "Going out of his way on a number of different fronts was quite possibly the most impressive leadership I've ever seen."

It appears Yamamoto was one of the many impacted by Hernández's stellar leadership last season. And now, the right-hander is a legitimate contender to win a Cy Young.

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