Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound Saturday for his final start of the regular season and with the Los Angeles Dodgers in position to clinch the top seed in the National League, which would coincide with securing the best record in baseball.
That would amount to the Dodgers clinching home-field advantage through the 2024 World Series. They need just one win over the next two days, or for the Philadelphia Phillies to lose one of their remaining games.
Perhaps of greater emphasis to the Dodgers is Yamamoto looking to build his innings base before next pitching in the NL Division Series.
The right-hander completed four innings in each of his first two starts off the 60-day injured list but regressed against the Colorado Rockies last week. Yamamoto completed just three innings and threw 79 pitches as he allowed four runs on five hits.
When Yamamoto faced the Rockies on June 1, he held them to just one run across seven innings. Saturday’s game is his first time pitching at Coors Field. It’s also the first time Yamamoto has faced the same opponent in consecutive starts.
Overall this season, Yamamoto is 6-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.13 WHIP.
The Rockies counter with Antonio Senzatela, who started opposite Yamamoto at Dodger Stadium last week. The outing was Senzatela’s second since returning from Tommy John surgery.
He allowed just one run over five innings and was in line for his first win since June 19, 2022. Senzatela ultimately settled for a no-decision as Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning that gave the Dodgers a walk-off win.
Prior to the game, the Dodgers recalled Justin Wrobleski and optioned Ben Casparius.
Dodgers lineup
DH: Shohei Ohtani
RF: Mookie Betts
2B: Gavin Lux
LF: Teoscar Hernández
3B: Max Muncy
C: Will Smith
SS: Tommy Edman
1B: Kiké Hernández
CF: Kevin Kiermaier
Rockies lineup
DH: Charlie Blackmon
SS: Ezequiel Tovar
3B: Ryan McMahon
2B: Brendan Rodgers
LF: Nolan Jones
1B: Michael Toglia
CF: Sam Hilliard
RF: Jake Cave
C: Hunter Goodman
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