(Photo credit score: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)
On a staff loaded with stars that simply received its second consecutive championship, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the clear alternative for World Series Most Valuable Player following the Game 7 victory over the host Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday evening.
‘Yamamoto is the GOAT!’ supervisor Dave Roberts shouted simply earlier than the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy — with a lot of the heavy lifting performed by Yamamoto.
The right-handed starter collected three of the Dodgers’ 4 wins in opposition to the American League champion Blue Jays, together with Game 7 which went 11 innings earlier than Los Angeles emerged with the 5-4 victory.
Yamamoto allowed one hit and one stroll with one strikeout in 2 2/3 scoreless innings to shut out the sport. He threw 34 pitches, 21 for strikes in decreasing his postseason ERA to 1.45 in 37 1/3 innings and enhancing his document to 5-1.
He beat the host Blue Jays 5-1 with a complete-game, 105-pitch four-hitter on Oct. 25 to tie the sequence 1-1. He beat them once more 3-1 on Friday in Toronto, working six innings and permitting 5 hits in a 96-pitch outing to maintain the Dodgers’ hopes alive by tying the sequence 3-3.
In between, the 27-year-old from Japan additionally appeared able to pitch if wanted in Game 3 on Monday, however 2024 World Series MVP Freddie Freeman solved that subject with a walk-off house run within the 18th inning for a 6-5 victory.
When he was known as on zero days of relaxation on Saturday evening, Yamamoto was prepared — ultimately.
‘I used to be unsure if I may pitch tonight till I went to the bullpen tonight,’ Yamamoto mentioned postgame, by way of interpreter, ‘however I’m glad I used to be in a position to.’
The final pitcher to win three video games in a World Series was Randy Johnhson for the champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. Yamamoto did it this yr with a pitching line of three video games (two begins), a 1.02 ERA, 10 hits, two runs, two walks and 15 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers signed him to a 12-year contract for $325 million in December 2023. He went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA within the 2024 postseason as Los Angeles received the National League pennant and beat the New York Yankees within the World Series.
He was 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA, 59 walks and 201 strikeouts within the 2025 common season and was chosen to the All-Star Game.
–Field Level Media