Dodgers' Freddie Freeman details why Yoshinobu Yamamoto was so successful in dominant World Series performance vs. Blue Jays

Douglas Santo

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Dodgers' Freddie Freeman details why Yoshinobu Yamamoto was so successful in dominant World Series performance vs. Blue Jays image

The Los Angeles Dodgers stole a win in Toronto on Saturday night as they evened the World Series with the Blue Jays, and will now head to Los Angeles with a chance to close it out at home if they can win three straight games.

After the Blue Jays offense came to life in the late innings on Friday night in Game 1, it was the Dodgers clutch bats that got the job done in Game 2 behind a stellar outing from pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

The Dodgers' starter threw a complete game, and afterward, first baseman Freddie Freeman detailed why Yamamoto was so successful.

Freddie Freeman reveals Yamamoto's plan for success

Yamamoto through a nine-inning, complete game gem on Saturday night. The Dodgers' starter gave up just one run on four hits and struck out eight batters on the night.

Afterward, Freeman detailed why Yamamoto was so successful on the mound.

"He was landing his splitter on 0-0 counts. As the game got on, that curveball just became more of a strike pitch too early on," Freeman said. "He would flash the heater up and in to righties, and two-seamers in. There was one time he called back-to-back sliders, and I was like, 'What? He's got that thing too.'

"There's a reason the Dodgers wanted him so bad a couple of years ago and I'm glad we did."

Yamamoto put on a clinic for the Dodgers when they needed it most. Yes, the first two games were in Toronto, and now the Dodgers head to Los Angeles for three straight games, but if the Blue Jays took a 2-0 series lead, things wouldn't have looked good for the Dodgers.

Now, the Dodgers head to Los Angeles with the series tied and can win it at home if they sweep their home games.

Yamamoto's outing on Saturday night was dominant, and it was his second straight complete game. Against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, Yamamoto threw a complete game with just one run allowed on three hits and seven strikeouts.

Through four starts in the postseason, the Dodgers' pitcher has a 1.57 ERA with a 0.73 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts.

The Dodgers' pitching staff has been phenomenal throughout the 2025 postseason, and Yamamoto continued that on Saturday night.

Now the Dodgers will head to Los Angeles and have Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani on the mound for Games 3 and 4, respectively.

 

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