NEW YORK (AP) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto knows innings are important for a decimated Los Angeles Dodgers rotation, which often lists TBA as a likely pitcher.

“At this point, anything can happen in terms of injuries or a mishap within the rotation,” he said through an interpreter.

Los Angeles leads the New York Mets 2-1 in the National League Championship Series going into Yamamoto’s start on Thursday evening. Yamamoto, a 6-foot-1 right-hander, is one of the few arms left from a projected rotation that once included Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, James Paxton, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone. All their seasons ended prematurely due to injuries.

Additionally, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin spent the year recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Yamamoto started twice in the Division Series against San Diego, and in July trade acquisition Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler and reliever Ryan Brasier once each.

Flaherty pitched seven scoreless innings in Sunday’s NLCS openera deep outing that has become a rarity for the Dodgers. Brasier was used as a one-inning opener in their Game 2 loss and Buehler returned for Game 3 against the Mets on Wednesday night as Yamamoto prepared for his turn.

Yamamoto lasted three innings in his postseason debutleaving the series opener against the Padres trailing 5–3 after allowing Xander Bogaerts’ two-run double in a game the Dodgers won 7–5.

He threw five scoreless innings with two hits to defeat Japanese compatriot Yu Darvish as the Dodgers won the decisive Game 5, leaving after 63 pitches.

“In Game 5, I think my mechanics were much better than in the first,” he said Wednesday afternoon.

Yamamoto joined the Dodgers on a $325 million, 12-year contract last winter, bypassing offers from the New York Yankees and Mets. The right-hander, who turned 26 in August, was 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts, striking out 105 and walking 22 in 90 innings while mixing six different pitches, including a fastball that averaged 90.5 yd/ o’clock. Yamamoto was sidelined between June 15 and September 10 due to triceps tightness.

He faced the Mets once during the regular season, allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits in six innings while striking out nine in a no-decision at Dodger Stadium on April 19.

“He’s a super polished guy,” said Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who struck out on a low curveball in a three-pitch at-bat, hit an RBI single on a full-count curve over the heart of the strike zone and grounded out hit. on a low splitter.

Last fall, Yamamoto pitched for Orix against Hanshin in the Japan Series. He allowed seven runs in the opening loss and had a Japan Series record 14 strikeouts in a complete game of 138 pitches, which forced a Game 7.

“He’s pitched in big ball games, so I knew he would play a big role in a big ball game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He is not physical in stature, but what he can generate in terms of power is quite remarkable.”

___

APMLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb