LOS ANGELES — It was about 9:09 a.m. in Tokyo when Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw out the first pitch of Game 5 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. A half inning later, Yu Darvish retired Shohei Ohtani to start the bottom of the first inning with Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. Padres reliever Yuki Matsui watched from the bullpen and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts — born in Okinawa to a U.S. Marine father and Japanese mother — had his view from the top step in the home dugout.

“I was just thinking about it a few minutes ago,” said Higashioka, whose father was a third-generation Japanese American, as he took the field for warmups on Friday. “There will be a lot of players of Japanese descent on the field, probably as many as I’ve ever seen in a Major League game.

“It’s pretty cool.”

In the first MLB postseason game between Japanese-born starting pitchers, Yamamoto turned five shutout innings, scattering two hits and a walk before Roberts began diving into his bullpen. Darvish countered with 6⅔ innings with two runs, surrendering a solo home run to Kike Hernandez in the second and Teoscar Hernandez in the seventh in his second quality start in the NLDS.

“It’s great to be able to pitch with him and share the mound,” Darvish said through interpreter Shingo Horie. “That was such a big thing. Not only is he a great pitcher, but he is also a great person. I think it was a great match.”

Yamamoto added: “I think in Japan, like many fans, were looking forward to today’s match.”

Darvish’s strong start kept Ohtani hitless for the second time in this series in three at bats. Ohtani struckout twice and had to face his childhood hero on Friday.

“He doesn’t rely on one plan,” Ohtani said, “so in that sense it’s for us as hitters that we have to be able to adapt and that also makes him good and crafty.”

Matsui’s only appearance in the series was striking out a batter three times in a scoreless inning in Game 4 at Petco Park. He had hoped to participate in Friday’s match but said he was excited to see what it means for his country’s standing in the sport.

“I think that means a lot for Japanese baseball,” Matsui said through interpreter Yusuke Horii. “There will probably be a lot of Japanese players coming in the future.”

Musgrove, Kim is in surgery

The visiting dugout was short by two players Joe Musgrove And Hi Seong Kim both went under the knife on Friday.

Musgrove’s Tommy John surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, while Kim’s labrum repair was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

Kim will be a free agent if both parties exercise an $8 million mutual option after this season.

Musgrove will enter the third year of his five-year, $100 million deal in 2025. He will likely miss the entire season, though he was certainly doing his homework on the possibility of being ready for postseason contributions next fall.

By undergoing the surgery Friday, Musgrove believes there may be an opportunity to contribute at the end of the season.

“Some guys regenerate tissues faster than others,” Musgrove said Monday at Petco Park. “I will always leave room for the miracle that I will come back in such a crazy time. But hearing the stories, reading and doing my homework and talking to our trainers who have rehabilitated a lot of them, it’s very important to give it the time it needs up front. …

“Then once we get consistent throwing programs and get closer to the mound work, I think we can hopefully pick up speed there and gain some ground.”

Staff writer Kevin Acee contributed to this report.

Originally published: October 11, 2024 at 7:03 PM