NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 11, 2024

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Dodgers - 2, Padres - 0

Q. When you signed here with the Dodgers, these big games were something that you were going to look forward to. How excited were you that you got an opportunity to start tonight? And what do you think you take from this performance that you were able to have?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: The last outing, I didn't do my job well. So I tried to get myself ready for today's game, resting.

Q. What were the keys for you to perform better tonight? And you also had more velocity tonight. I'm wondering where you think that came from.

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: Is that a game plan or? --

Q. Just what did you do differently from the previous?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: In terms of getting ready for today's game, I was just trying to focus on getting myself ready, preparation more meticulously.

And then in terms of velo today, I think my mechanics was locked in today.

Q. Your first Major League start came against the Padres. And since then they've been kind of a difficult or you had a little difficulty facing them. How good does it feel to have this kind of start against that team today?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: We had a couple of meetings, how to attack because this is a great lineup. And then also, again, like I said earlier on, I was just getting focused on getting myself ready for today.

Q. What was it like facing Yu Darvish in a postseason game? And did you have any sense of how people felt about it back in Japan?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: I think in Japan, like a lot of fans were looking forward to today's match-up because this is the first time that two Japanese pitchers are facing off on the same game on the postseason.

Q. That third inning was a big moment for you. Couple of hits and then you get Tatis to ground into a double play there. Did you feel in that moment that if you got through that you would be able to go through the rest of the game without any issues?

YOSHINOBU YAMAMOTO: I was just trying to be aggressive and then get initiative.