“On a personal level, I’m also very good friends with him.”

Padres manager Mike Shildt said: “It’s a big deal. …What I like about this series, aside from the fact that we’re in for a really cool Game 5, is the fact that Major League Baseball has done a fantastic job of making it an international game.

“I grew up it was America’s game and hot dogs and apple pie and I think I could put a plug-in for Chevrolet in it. But now it’s just an international game. The entire country of Japan will be watching, and rightly so. I think it’s fantastic that our game now has those tentacles.”

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for the Dodgers, but he is not expected to pitch deep into the game. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that “everyone is working” in the bullpen and confirmed that starter Jack Flaherty will be available in Game 5 if needed.

“I think for Yoshinobu it’s from the beginning,” Roberts said. “You know it’s not a 110-pitch exercise, it’s a 100-pitch exercise; it’s going out there and ripping it off from the first note. I think with that mentality, I think that will bode well.