SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – MARCH 21: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after the 1st inning during the 2024 Seoul Series game between San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 21, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said late Thursday afternoon the team had not made a decision on which pitcher would start Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
Roberts said he'd evaluate things further after the Dodgers' on-field workout.
Shortly before 10 p.m., the Dodgers announced that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be their starting pitcher for Friday's winner-take-all match-up.
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The Padres probably aren't too upset with the Dodgers' choice.
The Padres are in the midst of 15 straight scoreless innings versus Dodger pitching, the last 13 of those innings have come against the Dodgers bullpen. On the other end of the spectrum, the Padres' history against Yamamoto is kind to the brown and gold.
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San Diego has faced Yamamoto three times this season. In nine innings, the Padres have scored 13 runs on the Dodger right-hander. In Game 1 of this series, the Padres roughed up Yamamoto for five runs in three innings.
The Dodgers' delayed announcement of a Game 5 starter, plus some secrecy about the availability of injured first baseman Freddie Freeman in the lineup, has raised some eyebrows about how the Dodgers might be engaging in subterfuge this series.
Padres manger Mike Shildt was asked about that Thursday and said, "Everybody operates their own club the way they operate it. We're more like Vince Lombardi, power sweep, here it is. Yu Darvish is going to start, here's our lineup, our lineup was pretty good for six runs, 10 runs, you know five runs. This is who we are, we're going to compete and execute. We do that, we're going to shake hands and pop champagne."
The Padres and Dodgers play Game 5 on Friday at 5:08pm at Dodger Stadium.
