On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced their starting pitcher for games one and two at Dodger Stadium for the 2024 World Series. The MLB revealed on social media that Jack Flaherty will start game one, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start game two.
Flaherty’s last start was on Oct. 18 at Citi Field against the New York Mets in the NLCS. It was not a good performance, as he gave up eight earned runs off eight hits. In total, he went 3.0 innings before he was pulled.
Flaherty has a 7.04 ERA and a 1-2 record this postseason. His one win was in game one of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium. He was good during the regular season, with a 3.17 ERA and 194 strikeouts, which helped him win 13 games.
Yamamoto’s last postseason start came against the Mets on Oct. 17 during the NLCS. He pitched 4.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits. He was also effective at striking out batters, with eight strikeouts.
Throughout the 2024 postseason, Yamamoto has a 5.11 ERA through 12.1 innings and earned the win that allowed the Dodgers to beat the San Diego Padres in the NLCS.
Yamamoto in the Japan Series
He also has experience playing in a championship series overseas for the Orix Buffaloes in the NPB. In 2022, Orix made the Japan Series and played the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Yamamoto got the start in game one but was credited with the loss. However, the Buffaloes would go on to win the championship.
He helped the team win the Pacific League in the NPB and advance to the Japan Series again in 2023. Yamamoto lost game one again, but he finally got revenge and won game six against the Hanshin Tigers. Unfortunately, it was not enough to win the series, as the Tigers took home the championship.
Three games in the Japan Series under his belt could help Yamamoto in the World Series when he starts game two.
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Photo Credit: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during Game 4 of the NLCS. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
