Dodgers Interview: Yoshi Unlocks Legendary Status
“I trusted my body, stayed calm, and before I knew it I was on the mound”
TORONTO — Rogers Centre was still buzzing when Yoshinobu Yamamoto met the press. The 2025 World Series MVP tried to explain a night that ran on more on guts and will than on precision.
“I’m really happy we won the championship,” he said in Japanese. “That is what matters most.” Then he smiled at the question everyone had. How did he come back on such short rest, and close?
“The plan wasn’t to pitch,” he said. “After yesterday I thought it was my last outing and I told our trainer, Mr. [Osamu] Yada, ‘Thank you for the year.’ He told me, ‘Let’s at least be ready to throw a bullpen. If you’re just down there, it can help the team.’ I got treatment last night, again at the hotel this morning, then came to the park. When I played catch, the feeling was really good and, before I knew it, I was on the mound.”
What did it feel like to empty the tank at the end of an eight-month march? “More than my elbow or anything, my whole body felt like, I’ve done it,” he said. “It was tough, but I’m feeling a joy I’ve never felt before. Because I truly gave everything, I can say I’m glad I did it.”
The closer twist didn’t arrive until late. “At first I just thought anything could happen, like the extra innings in Game 3. As the game developed I realized closing might be possible. I was anxious, but in the end I could pitch.” And the MVP trophy? He laughed. “It was heavy. Just heavy.”
He credited the basics for getting through the jams. “I wanted to avoid careless pitches or just throwing it into the zone,” he said. “I focused on height and location. It’s simple, but I concentrated on the fundamentals and got through.” The ballpark creature comforts helped, too. “Major league parks have great facilities for visitors. I warmed up in the hot bath before the game. It helped.”
Did he feel like he pushed past his limit? “I didn’t feel I went beyond my limit,” Yamamoto said. “The staff told me they wouldn’t send me unless I said I could go, so I had some mental room to prepare. It was my first time pitching on back-to-back days as a pro, and it gave me new confidence that I can do it.” The nerves were real but manageable. “In a game you cannot afford to lose, of course you feel fear and anxiety. You wonder, what if I fail. I just calmed down, focused my breathing, and entered the game the same as always.”
He saved special gratitude for the people around him. “I didn’t know until after the game, but even our interpreter had his spikes on just in case,” he said, chuckling. “I play the game, but so many people support me with that same mindset. That support connected to how I played today and all season. I’m very grateful.”
There was a hug that will live with him. “It was the strongest hug I’ve ever received,” he said of the embrace after the last out. “I felt a joy you cannot express with words. The tears came, for the first time in a long while. They overflowed. I was so happy.” Asked what he wanted to do next, the answer was as honest as the pitching line. “I just want to go home,” he said, smiling again. “I haven’t thought about celebrating. Winning is enough for me.”
He circled back once more to the moment everything ended. “At the last out it felt unbelievable,” he said. “I can’t even remember what I threw. When my teammates came to me, I felt maybe the greatest joy I’ve ever felt.”
The origin story of the appearance stayed humble. “It started with Mr. Yada saying even being in the bullpen can change the air for the team,” Yamamoto said. “He kept encouraging me. I’m thankful. I got treatment, prepared, and when I threw before the game the feel came back.” The message from the staff was steady. “They told me, if you don’t say you can go, we won’t use you,” he said. “That gave me confidence to prepare the right way.”
And when the questions turned to legacy and meaning, he kept it small, almost shy. “It was a great day. I feel like I leveled up a little,” he said. “I’m happy we could give this to our fans.”
One last line, as the room shifted toward celebration and the goggles did what goggles do. “I trusted my body, stayed calm, and pitched with focus,” Yoshinobu Yamamoto said. “We won together. Thank you.”
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