The Los Angeles Dodgers are adjusting their pitching rotation for the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the San Diego Padres, swapping Jack Flaherty and rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto is set to start Game 1 on Saturday, with Flaherty taking the mound in Game 2 on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. This change ensures Yamamoto will have an extra day of rest, maintaining the routine he’s followed all season, and making him available for a potential Game 5.
“It’s about having more options,” said Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations. “It gives us flexibility depending on how our pitching is used in Games 1 through 4. We want to keep as many options open as possible.” Both pitchers accepted the decision after hearing the rationale behind it.
This marks the third time in five years the Dodgers and Padres will face off in the NLDS. The Padres took the series 3-1 in 2022, while the Dodgers swept them 3-0 in 2020 en route to their World Series title during the shortened pandemic season.
Friedman likened the matchup to a chess game, as both teams know each other well. The Padres had an 8-5 edge over the Dodgers in the regular season, with the NL West division title coming down to the final games.
“Do you stick to your strengths or switch things up? How are they going to approach it?” Friedman mused. “If you’ve used a specific strategy against a certain player, do you stick with it or deviate? It’ll be a case-by-case decision.”
The Dodgers, holding the best record in baseball, took a breather this week, practicing fundamentals, using a high-velocity pitching machine, and playing a simulated game while keeping an eye on the deciding Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series between the Mets and Brewers on their stadium’s videoboards.
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