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MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS DODGERS

October 31, 2017

Yu Darvish

Los Angeles, California - pregame 6

Q. Pregame in Game 4 in the dugout your teammates actually said that you were going to win this game for you. And having teammates like that, going towards tomorrow's outing, mentally having the support, big support from your teammates, how does it affect you mentally going to tomorrow night?
YU DARVISH: First of all, not just as a teammate, but as a person, we have really good people in this clubhouse, and I really appreciate my teammates supporting me. But going towards tomorrow's outing, it doesn't change anything. I take any game seriously, and it's going to be the same because of what happened before Game 4. That's why you're going to make more effort. I'm making every effort I can make for every time I go out there, so it's going to be the same.

Q. You haven't appeared on this platform since Game 3 and everything happened with Gurriel. Just wondering your thoughts on how was that resolved? Are you satisfied with the resolution, and have you spoken with Gurriel?
YU DARVISH: After the game I came back in the dugout and one of the Dodgers employee came to me and said, hey, this is what happened, they caught it on camera. And that's what they told me. I didn't think it was going to be this big of a deal. I was telling my interpreter that, hey, maybe this is going to be a big deal after the game. And it did.

But to me I wasn't that frustrated at that point when I saw it the first time. And then after the game like he contacted us and said, "Hey, I'd like to meet you in person and apologize," but I told him, "Hey, you don't have to do that, because you made a comment, and, like, I'm not that mad." So like I really didn't care much about that.

Q. How do you feel about the fact that he got a five-game suspension for next year?
YU DARVISH: I really don't know how to judge by having a five-game suspension. Like what happened in the -- racial discrimination, it's a big deal at this big stage; World Series it's a big deal whenever you do that. And the MLB Commissioner decided not to do it in the World Series and I get that. But at the same time it's a big deal, so I cannot really compare like is it too big, five game too much or too less, I don't really know what to tell.

Q. After the last outing that you mentioned about your slider wasn't as sharp. And also like that was the shortest probably outing in your ten-years-plus career. How do you like the approach mentally going towards tomorrow's outing, after that short of a game?
YU DARVISH: I threw the bullpen session and my slider is getting there, and it's better.

And about the shortest outing I had, if it was the regular season, I probably would've keep going. I wouldn't say it was the worst outing I ever had.

I can't pay that much attention to what happened, last time. Just focus on tomorrow's outing and have a good game tomorrow.

Q. The last bullpen that you threw did you use a game ball? And at the time the outing your last release point was very inconsistent. Probably trying to make adjustment. How do you learn from that and what do you do to pitch better tomorrow?
YU DARVISH: Yeah, I used the game ball on the last bullpen, and what I was working on was just to balance myself to have good mechanics and all, and that's that.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about the ball being different that we're using here in the World Series and guys having a hard time getting a pitch like a slider to break. Was that at all involved in the troubles you had with the slider and do you think the ball is different?
YU DARVISH: After the first two games I heard that Keuchel and Verlander were talking about the ball was flying, and I knew that. But before the bullpen on towards the third game, that I threw a bullpen session with a regular-season ball. I didn't really realize until I got to the mound, and I knew that my slider wasn't breaking and sharp. And after the game I came back and I realized that my slider, I couldn't finish my pitches. I couldn't get that final touch. And then it just didn't make sense.

And then I read about the ball being slick. And I really didn't know if it was my physical thing and mechanical adjustment that I had to make or the ball. I can't really say it. But that's it. And I just need to learn from it and go to tomorrow night.

Q. When was Doc telling you you were going to start in Game 7? What situation was it and how did you feel when he told you that you were going to pitch in Game 7?
YU DARVISH: I think it was during the fourth game or the fifth game that Doc saw me and my mental, like I knew that, I believed we were going to win three straight games, and I probably was not going to get to pitch. That's what I told him. He said to get ready, and that's what I did. So there's nothing much mentally or emotionally to it.

Q. Have you gotten to see any footage or met Shohei Otani? I'm wondering if you have either way, and I wonder how you think he would do in Major League Baseball?
YU DARVISH: Of course he's from Japan, he's played in Japan for the same team. So I've seen him so many times and worked out with him. It's really hard to tell, you never know what's going to happen here. I know he's a great player, and I just don't think he's going to have bad numbers here. That's all I can say.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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