The Los Angeles Dodgers won in convincing fashion on Wednesday night to force a winner-take-all Game 5 at Dodger Stadium, which meant having to get past San Diego Padres’ Yu Darvish in order to advance to the National League Championship Series.
In a series that has been full of poor starting pitching, Darvish’s excellent outing in Game 2 of the NL Division Series stands out. The 12-year MLB veteran kept the Dodgers’ offense off-balanced all night long, pitching seven strong innings of one-run ball.
Thus, it was a no-brainer the Padres turned to Darvish with their season on the line at Dodger Stadium.
However, Darvish does have a dubious history of pitching in these spots over his career, with the team he plays for losing all four of his starts in a playoff elimination game. That includes two winner-take-all games, with the last one being his infamous Game 7 start for the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series.
But past experiences aren’t something that Darvish is dwelling on at the moment. He is instead choosing to call upon the 12 years of experience he has under his belt in preparation for Friday.
“I can’t really recall how I was on these elimination games, so I don’t think I can give you a good answer on that. But maybe it is the experience that I have accumulated up until today that’s making me feel calm right now,” Darvish said through an interpreter.
Yu Darvish elimination game history
2012 AL Wild Card Game
The Texas Rangers turned to Yu Darvish as a rookie in the American League Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles. Darvish acquitted himself quite well in the first MLB postseason start of his career, but was ultimately let down by his defense and a lack of run support from his offense.
All in all, it was a quality start for Darvish as he threw 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts, zero walks and allowing two earned runs.
The Orioles won the game 5-1.
2017 World Series: Game 7
Unlike his first win-or-go-home game in 2012, this time Darvish did not do much to put his team in a good position. He allowed five runs (four earned) to the Houston Astros in 1.2 innings of work, putting the Dodgers in a deep hole that they were unable to get out of.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers it was the worst start out of the bunch that Darvish has put forth in postseason elimination situations. As for Darvish, that memory is in the rearview as his focus is on helping his current team advance to the next round.
“Obviously I remember about that time, but it’s, like, how many years ago was that? So there’s nothing special that I think about that time. I don’t focus on that time, basically. Plus, I am wearing a different uniform right now,” he said on Thursday.
2020 NL Wild Card Series: Game 2
An almost identical start to the one he had in 2012, Darvish took the mound for the Chicago Cubs on the brink of elimination against the Miami Marlins. He held the Marlins lineup scoreless through six innings before running into trouble with two outs in the seventh. He allowed a solo home run and RBI single, and was pulled from the game.
Darvish’s final line could have looked a lot worse if Craig Kimbrel did not strand the two runners he inherited. Darvish finished the game throwing 6.2 innings with six strikeouts, two walks, five hits and two earned runs.
The Marlins won 2-0.
2022 NLCS: Game 5
Darvish turned in a quality start for the Padres one game away from elimination in the NL Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies scored two runs on a Rhys Hoskins home run in the third inning, but that is all they were able to score off Darvish as he managed to navigate a dangerous lineup. Darvish exited the game after his sixth inning of work and was in line for the win before the Phillies completed a comeback against the Padres bullpen.
It was the first time that Darvish wasn’t charged with the loss in an elimination game, but his team was eliminated nonetheless.
2024 NLDS: Game 5
Darvish again pitched well in an elimination game, only to result in taking a loss. He allowed solo home runs to Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández, which were the difference for the Dodgers in their 2-0 win.
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