September 16, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) pitches during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Dodgers made changes to their first two starters in the National League Division Series on Thursday, deciding to start Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 1 against the San Diego Padres on Saturday and righty in Game 2 on Sunday. Pitcher Jack Flaherty started.
On Wednesday, the Dodgers said Flaherty would start Game 1 and Yamamoto would start the best-of-five series.
Los Angeles president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the decision to replace starters was not based on performance. He said pitching the opener would allow Yamamoto to pitch in Game 5 if necessary.
“Yoshi didn't pitch regularly,” Freeman said. “Jake is more used to it. It gives us flexibility in Game 5, if at all, depending on the whole pen usage. So it's just more options.”
Friedman said Yamamoto was pleased with the change.
“He said, 'I'm going to throw a pen in today or tomorrow. I did that today. I'm great. I'm ready for whatever you guys want,'” Friedman said. “He's excited.”
San Diego will start Dylan Seth in the opener in Los Angeles, with right-hander Yu Darvish pitching in Game 2.
The Padres are also preparing to conduct a medical review of right-hander Joe Musgrove. He exited San Diego's 5-4 wild-card series victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday due to tightness in his right elbow.
Musgrove, 31, left the game after 3 2/3 innings. He missed two games in the regular season with elbow issues.
Yamamoto missed nearly three months of his first season in the majors with a shoulder problem. The 26-year-old from Japan went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts.
Flaherty, who turns 29 on Oct. 15, was acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline and went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 10 starts for Los Angeles. results.
The 28-year-old Seth had the second no-hitter in Padres history in his first season with the Padres. Musgrove pitched the first in 2021.
Seth went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA in 33 starts. Darvish, 38, went 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts.
Right-hander Michael King is expected to start Game 3 when the series shifts to San Diego on Tuesday. King struck out 12 times in seven innings as the Padres defeated the Braves 4-0 in Tuesday's first game of the wild-card series. The 29-year-old compiled a 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA in 30 regular season starts and one relief appearance.
–Scene-level media