Change of plans: Yamamoto in Game 1, Flaherty in Game 2
Yesterday at 08:05 PM
The Dodgers went with Yamamoto in Game 1 and Flaherty in Game 2, switching the order mentioned the day before. This move makes both pitchers potentially available for Game 5
One day after saying that Jack Flaherty would start Game 1 of the NLDS and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2, the Dodgers on Thursday switched the order, giving them more options potentially later in the series against the San Diego Padres.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters Thursday at Dodger Stadium that Yamamoto would instead start in Game 1 on Saturday, with Flaherty in Game 2.
Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers are flipping Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the rotation
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) October 3, 2024
Yamamoto now going Game 1. Flaherty will go Game 2
Friedman said it's so Yamamoto can be available for Game 5 on an extra day of rest (as he's gotten for every outing this year)
Change of plans, from Andrew Friedman: Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 1 on Saturday, and Jack Flaherty will pitch Game 2 on Sunday.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 3, 2024
Big factor was having as many guys lined up and available for a potential Game 5.
The reasoning makes sense, given that the Dodgers will give Yamamoto at least five days rest for all of his postseason starts this year — he never made a start this season on four days rest, and his three-month stint on the injured list torpedoed any chance for him to get acclimated to such a schedule, at least for this season.
Starting Yamamoto in Game 1 against the Padres makes him an option for Game 5 on October 11, on five days rest should the Division Series go the distance. Back on September 17, I advocated for Yamamoto to start Game 1 of the NLDS for this very reason:
Whether Yamamoto or Jack Flaherty is deemed the No. 1 starter, I think the best play for the Dodgers is to start Yamamoto in Game 1 of the NLDS. That makes him available to also start Game 5 of that series if needed, on five days rest, but it also opens the door for Flaherty to start Game 2 and potentially again in Game 5 on four days rest if needed.
Flaherty made six starts this season on four days rest — once with the Dodgers — and posted a 3.15 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 34⅓ innings.
