Dodgers win four straight behind Yamamoto's stellar performance

ARLINGTON, Tex. – Yoshinobu Yamamoto struck out 10 in seven shutout innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers won their fourth straight game, defeating the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Friday night at Globe Life Field.

Yamamoto went head-to-head against two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom and effectively countered every move he made on the mound. He was exceptional, throwing for seven innings and lowering his season ERA to 0.93. Yamamoto threw 102 pitches without allowing a single walk.

Yamamoto delivered a magnificent performance that suggests this could be his year. His pitch selection kept the batters second-guessing their approach, as his fastball, curveball, and splitter were all effective. He threw 31 splitters, more than any other pitch during the game. This year, opponents are hitting just .077 against Yamamoto's splitter, going 3-for-39.

“He’s the best pitcher in the National League,” Roberts said.

In his second season with the Dodgers, Yamamoto achieved a career-best 20 swings and misses, surpassing his previous record of 18 set last April.

"He's one of the best pitchers in our game right now. I can't really imagine anyone being any better than him right now," Edman said.

In Arlington, it was a pitching duel as Jacob deGrom took the mound and delivered an impressive performance. He pitched seven innings, allowing just one run and three hits while striking out seven batters. This marked deGrom's fourth start of the season, yet he remains winless with a 3.32 ERA.deGrom retired 12 of the 14 Dodgers batters following Edman's leadoff home run.

This was the first time he completed seven innings since April 11, 2023. It was only the second time in his last 13 starts for the Rangers, spread over four seasons, that he has faced injuries.

Shohei Ohtani is currently on paternity leave as he welcomes his first child and has returned to Los Angeles. Dave Roberts mentioned that there is a possibility Ohtani could return this weekend. In the meantime, the Dodgers handled their first game of the season without Ohtani in the lineup successfully.

Roberts placed Tommy Edman in the leadoff position to replace Ohtani, and Edman responded by hitting his seventh home run of the season, leading the National League. This marked Edman's sixth career home run while batting leadoff. It was the sole offensive contribution throughout the first eight innings of the game.

Edman ignited the offense at the start of the ninth inning with an infield hit and then advanced to second base due to a wild throw. Teoscar Hernandez followed with a single to right field, bringing Edman home. The bases were loaded when Will Smith hit a sacrifice fly, which added two insurance runs in the ninth inning. Edman finished the night going 3-for-4 with a home run and two singles, raising his batting average to .288.

Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith went hitless, each finishing 0-for-9. Eddie Rosario was called up in place of Ohtani and went 0-for-2 during the game. The Dodgers' offense was outhit 7-5 by the Rangers, but the Dodgers' bullpen played a crucial role in maintaining the lead.

The Dodgers opted for right-hander Kirby Yates to pitch in the eighth inning and left-hander Tanner Scott in the ninth, aiming to secure a three-run lead. Former Dodger Corey Seager led off the ninth with a single, followed by Adolis Garcia, who hit one to left field, putting runners on first and second with one out. Josh Jung then hit a sharp ball down the third base line, but Max Muncy made an incredible play to convert the game-ending double play.

Scott earned his seventh save of the season, successfully converting eight attempts. The Dodgers, currently at 15-6, secured a win on Friday against the Rangers, who are now 12-8. In the second game of their three-game series, the Dodgers will send rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki (0-1, 3.29 ERA) to the mound, where he will face former Dodger right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 2.55 ERA). This game will be nationally televised on FOX.