Dodgers News: Yamamoto’s Complete Game was the First by a Japanese Pitcher in MLB Postseason History

LOS ANGELES, CA—Last night’s 5-1 win was massive for multiple reasons.

First, the Los Angeles Dodgers now have a commanding 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series over the Milwaukee Brewers, with the series now returning to Dodger Stadium for the next three games.

Second, it was the first complete game shutout in the postseason in eight years, with the last coming in Game Two of the 2017 American League Championship Series by veteran right-hander Justin Verlander.

Third, the game was the first complete game by a Japanese pitcher in Major League Baseball postseason history.

Yamamoto becomes the first Japanese-born pitcher to pitch a complete game in the MLB postseason, retiring his last 14 batters consecutively. Throughout this year’s regular season and postseason, he has posted a 2.42 ERA across 33 starts, with 219 strikeouts in 193 1/3 innings, reflecting a 28.7-percent strikeout rate.

Tuesday marked Yamamoto’s first complete game in MLB, after playing 12 games in his final three seasons with Japan’s Orix Blue Wave from 2021 to 23. Elias notes he’s only the fifth pitcher in MLB history to throw their first career complete game in the postseason, joining Jim Beattie in Game Five of the 1978 World Series (against the Dodgers), Liván Hernández in 1997 NLCS Game Five (the Eric Gregg game), Josh Beckett in the 2023 NLCS Game Five, and Marco Estrada in Game One of the 2016 ALCS.

Yamamoto’s 42nd complete game in Dodgers postseason history was notable, but the first 40 occurred by 1988. Since then, only one other complete game has been recorded in franchise history: José Lima‘s performance in Game Four of the 2004 NLDS at Dodger Stadium, which extended the Dodgers’ playoff run by one more day.

Finishing what he started meant something. “To end the game on the mound here for the first time, I felt a lot of achievement,” he said. “The most important thing is I could contribute to the team’s win.” He added that the moment never got too big. “I established my rhythm and dictated the tempo,” he said. “That was great for me.”

Now, Yamamoto puts the Dodgers in a prime position to appear in their second consecutive World Series appearance, needing just two more wins as the team returns to Los Angeles for Games Three, Four, and Five.

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