Yamamoto Delivered What Snell Couldn’t

Posted By on October 25, 2025

Yesterday, Dodger fans were making excuses for Blake Snell: “Well, he hadn’t pitched in 10 days.” So, Yoshi Yamamoto hadn’t pitched in 11 days, and he went nine innings and won 5-1. This is a no-excuse zone, and Blake Snell failed the test. Yamamoto aced it. Like Yoda said, “Try, there is no try – You do or you don’t do!”

Make no mistake about this: Yamamoto is the Dodgers’ Ace… not Snell! Blake Snell is a nice pitcher… but he’s no Ace. I am not going to argue it, but Snell may be the 4th best pitcher on the Dodgers behind Yamamoto, Ohtani, and Glasnow.

My opinion. Nuff said!

I would not be surprised if the Dodgers finish the Series in LA.

This article has 70 Comments

  1. Yoshi is beyond any doubt the Dodgers Ace. All the others stack up behind him. Smith is the best clutch hitter on the team. Max should go to left field more often. Biggest difference in Freddie Freeman, he does not hit to left center as much as he did. How was that dropped pop up not an error?

    1. If they don’t touch it it’s not an error. Similar to if an outfielder loses a ball in the sun. Dumb rule IMO that’s an error!

      1. The ball actually touched his glove…
        Looked like an error to me, but announcers said the dome’s rafters make it hard to track the ball, sort of like losing it in the sun. Whatever. E-3 to me… but it was counted as one of the four hits vs. Yamamoto.

      2. The ball hit the tip of his glove, watch the replay. Just like he was hit just before they decided to intentionally walk him. He did not sell it, but that is why the ball caromed away from Kirk, it hit his toe. Watched both replay’s several times.

  2. Yikes Mark.
    Three great games by Snell and one subpar game and now he is just ‘nice’. If for some reason Doc would have taken him out after 5, we would be saying ‘ what a gutsy performance by Snell , only give up 2 runs when not having his best stuff’!!.
    Didn’t Yoshi have a subpar game recently?

    1. I agree. You have to be careful with the Jays powerful lineup which Snell was. Yeah, doc takes him out and let’s Sheehan start an inning, could be a different story. I am sure Smith would have called different pitches instead of worrying about a walk in run or two.
      The win today was huge. Lots of pressure on the on Jays to get the series back to Toronto. If Pages gets cranking, it would be a short series. Let’s end this in LA before I finish my Hawaii cruise

  3. big time game tonight by moto.
    that was fun to watch.
    they re-set this series.
    3 in LA.
    go dodgers.

  5. What a performance by Yamamoto. Masterful!

    Smith’s injury late in the season was a blessing in disguise. He looks refreshed out there. Will the Dodgers consider finding ways to rest him during the regular season? They should!

    You have to like the position that we’re in. The Dodgers have home field advantage the rest of the way. Glasnow, Ohtani and Snell are starting the next 3 games at home. The LAD will be facing a Scherzer, who is in the twilight of his career, in game 3 and most likely Bieber in game 4. Do the Jays go with their game 1 starter in game 5? There is a reason why the game is played on the field, but there is a strong possibility the series doesn’t return to Toronto.

    I have no idea what Freddie’s bat speed was tonight, but he was challenged and was unable to drive the ball out of the park. A clip from last year’s grand slam was shown on TV, and his bat speed was noticeably faster.

    The HR by Muncy was impressive. Oppo taco shot. That was some good piece of hitting. Pages made a lot of contact today. Still has some work to do but he is well on his way.

    Go Dodgers!

          1. Do not disagree. Less than avg fielder, cannot hit. Sounds like Conforto.
            Here’s hoping Doc does something of Teo breaks out of it.
            Even when Pages got a hit, he almost made a costly base running error.

    2. We got the bats going today and Yamamoto was lights out. Their rookie pitcher got a high pitch count and next time around the Dodgers should hit him a little better and Scherzer is hitable. I guess Kershaw is in the roster out of respect. The perfect scenario would be Kershaw coming in to finish the last inning (or batter) to close out the WS. And let the stadium go crazy!

  6. If Tommy Lasorda has any influence up there, it shall be as you wish Daytona Jack. What a gift to all of baseball that would be.

    1. It has been rumored that the Big Dodger in the Sky waited an extra long time before taking Lasorda, because he knew he would take over for him.

      That’s also why the Devil didn’t want him.

  7. BTW, if it were up to me, I would flip Glasnow and Ohtani and use Glasnow in Relief.

    Then I would pitch Snell on Wednesday.

    1. Yep- Glass is another pitcher where you are not completely sure what version you are getting until the first few pitches.

      Hoping that Snell is completely stewing over game one so that when he gets back in has a much better performance and goes to the distance

  8. i’m a Teo fan. that said, how about giving Call the start tomorrow in right field? Better defensive outfielder, low strike out rate, and faster on the base path. Maybe if not Teo, then Pages? I wonder if Doc has talked with Andy about his awful chase rate. He did look a little more patient at the plate last night. i’m sure vDave isn’t too happy with his at bats . … I hope they pound Max like a rented mule tomorrow. Look for Glasnow to be on tomorrow night. …. I don’t think we have to argue over who’s the ace of the staff ! they have 4 pitchers capable of pitching a no hitter every time out! Let’s hope they are on their game the next 3 in LA! i don’t want to see them go back to toronto! Even yamamoto can get beat in toronto! Max woke up. Freddie looks fine. will smith is a stud. ohtani finally got a hit that really mattered. Now mookie needs to get going! … Kudos to Max for showing a bunt last night! A little small ball might just be what the DOCtor ordered! … I don’t blame freddie for that dropped ball last night. i blame baseball. yamamoto could have caught that ball with his eyes closed! What’s the difference in catching that pop up , than running full speed to first base and catching a ball on the dead run and avoiding a 225 linebacker flying down the line? Yamamoto is an athlete! You telling me ohtani backs off from that fly ball? Go Broncos!!!

    1. Pitchers are taught to avoid pop flies. This is one of those maddening conventions of baseball, because obviously Yamamoto was in the best position to make the play.
      Another convention is that position players shouldn’t pitch–even though this is still fairly common in college ball. Usually it makes sense to specialize, but not always.
      Shohei isn’t the unicorn because he’s a two-way player, but a GREAT two-way player.

      1. Every team teaches this for one reason:

        A pitcher is on the mound for but a fraction of the time an infielder is. Repetition is the key. It’s easy to single out one busted play, but on average, an infielder is much better equipped to make that play over a pitcher.

    2. They’ve lost one game in the entire playoffs and are coming off an impressive win, do we really think that’s cause for a lineup change?

      Very strange how the calls to replace the hitting and pitching coaches have subsided.

          2. Scott posts there all the time. He has his issues, but he has kept them in check over there.

      3. Morons be morons.

        Accept that!

        Wouldn’t it be something if we were all back together on one site?

        1. Anything is possible. Wait!! You even have said we won’t be seeing much of you going forward as you transition to working on other projects

    3. HELL NO. We didn’t pay the guy for 3 years to sit on the bench during playoff games….we are paying him FOR THESE GAMES SPECIFICALLY. Even though he looks lost he is pretty clutch in the playoff overall and has several big HR’s for us. Teo can’t sit.

  9. 8:00 PM ET FOX

    Blue Jays (94-68) WS (1-1)
    Dodgers (93-69) WS (1-1)

    SP Max Scherzer R
    5-5 5.19 ERA
    SP Tyler Glasnow R
    4-3 3.19 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    DH S. Ohtani L
    SS Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    3B Max Muncy L
    RF T. Hernandez R
    2B Tommy Edman S
    LF E. Hernandez R
    CF Andy Pages R

    72° Wind 5 mph L-R

  10. Pages and Teo should both be benched. Sorry, I would rather give Dean a shot and see what he can do. He could not possibly be any worse than Pages. Call is a contact hitter, at least he would not strikeout as much as Teo has. More men on base could translate into more runs.

    1. I’m not sure if Game 3 of the World Series is the appropriate setting for “seeing what he can do.”

      Rosenthal does think that Pages could be benched in the near future, but with Kike moving to center.

  13. Glasnow just hasn’t got it. Get him outta there. Bullpen is fully rested.

    This innings could blow the whole game.

  14. Unfortunately I think I am done watching Pages flail away!
    Cannot continue to have that big a hole in the lineup.

  15. Interesting observation by Petriello:

    What an unexpected way of pitching for Glasnow, just totally abandoning his 4-seamer. I get the Jays strengths and that’s fine but .. that’s not usually how he succeeds.

    Glasnow threw 85 pitches and only 13 were 4S.

    Does he call the pitches or does Smith when Glasnow is on the mound?

  19. At this moment Treinen isn’t a World Series player. If Roberts uses him, against Vlady… what’s the reason?

  25. Fucking HATE intentional walking the 9th hitter.

    So stupid. One of the worst hitters in baseball and you put him on.

    WTF

  28. Wow! What a game. I was so happy for Kershaw. Yes, the Dodgers have the money but reclamation projects like Will Klein exemplify why the Dodgers win.

  29. Most exhausting game I have ever watched. The 18-inning game in 18 did not seem like it was as long as this one. That one though was the Dodgers only win of that series. Like their chances to go up 3-1. Ohtani is going to have to pitch at least six.

  30. Epic game!!!!! Dodger bullpen was outstanding!!!! Need some length today from Ohtoni.

  32. what an incredible game.
    i’ll be draggin’ at work…with a smile on my face tho.
    something tells me ohtani has some more “wow” left for his start tonight.
    go dodgers.

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