Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced a challenging start on Monday night as he struggled to find his rhythm in his outing against the Milwaukee Brewers. Just one pitch away from escaping a pressure-filled first inning, he ultimately succumbed to a series of unfortunate events that led to a painful collapse, marking the shortest start of his MLB career.
The first inning spiraled out of control after Yamamoto allowed a leadoff double to Sal Frelick and walked William Contreras. Despite having two outs after a fly ball and a grounder, the pivotal moment arrived when Brewers’ newcomer Andrew Vaughn, in his first game with the team, made a significant impact. A mislocation of a curveball resulted in Vaughn hitting a home run, propelling the Brewers to a quick 3-0 lead.
Manager Dave Roberts noted that Yamamoto’s challenges were exacerbated by a combination of poor pitching execution, defensive errors, and some bad luck. Dodgers’ All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts had a rare defensive miscue when he threw inaccurately to first, allowing a run to score and prolonging the inning.
Ultimately, Yamamoto’s performance contributed to a disappointing 9-1 loss, marking the Dodgers’ fourth consecutive defeat. Despite being a leading pitcher in the majors with a road ERA of 1.57 before this outing, he found it difficult to recover after the rocky start. The Dodgers’ lineup was further compromised due to injuries, missing key players like Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman, which made the task at hand even more daunting.
“We got to pitch better, we got to defend better, we got to take more competitive at-bats,” said Roberts, as he called for improvements across the board. Despite this setback, the team remains focused on turning things around during the remainder of their six-game trip.
Yamamoto’s struggle serves as a reminder that even the most talented players can have off days, but there is hope that with a bit of reflection and adjustment, the Dodgers can regain their form and bounce back from this challenging stretch.