Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hailed Yoshinobu Yamamoto's resilience after the Japanese ace delivered one of the most remarkable pitching performances in baseball World Series history to clinch the title over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Less than 24 hours after throwing 96 pitches as the starter in the series-leveling Game Six, Yamamoto emerged from the bullpen in Game Seven to guide the visiting Dodgers to a 5-4 extra-innings victory over the Blue Jays – a feat that defied both logic and baseball convention.
Normally, elite pitchers are granted several days’ rest after seeing significant duty – a reflection of the extraordinary stresses and strains that the craft can place on the human body.
The 26-year-old right-hander, who was named World Series Most Valuable Player, admitted he had doubts about whether his arm would respond after such a heavy workload.
Yamamoto's nerveless contribution – which saw him shepherd the Dodgers over the line in a nail-biting 11th inning – left team-mates and coaching staff in disbelief.
"It's unheard of, there's a mind component, there's a flawless delivery, and there's just an unwavering will,” Roberts said. “I just haven't seen it before ... all that combined.”
Yamamoto had already thrown two complete games in the postseason, including in a Game Two win over the Blue Jays last week, and Roberts admitted: “I'm kind of crazy for sending him back out there. But I just felt he was the best option.”
Third baseman Max Muncy added of Yamamoto: “The guy's a psychopath. How do you come back out a day after you've thrown 96 pitches? He went out and put himself on the line for us and still dominated. ”
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
